Bible Passage: “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.” (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 NIV)
Scripture Reading: Ecclesiastes 4:1-12
Delegation is not a strong suit of mine.
For a variety of reasons (mostly the two-sided and possibly prideful desire for credit, as well as the fear of being blamed for the failures of others), I prefer to take on tasks myself, even if that next task is more than I can handle.
I won’t ask if I’m alone in this. I know I’m not.
To be fair, Ecclesiastes 4:11 is not a verse about being a good leader. But its truth about shared burdens certainly hits home in that space.
My desire, and yours, to live autonomously, to succeed or fail on our own efforts, is a fundamental rejection of the wisdom displayed in the creation of humanity.
In the middle of the Teacher’s exploration of the futility of life’s pursuits, the need for and benefit from companionship rise to a topic worthy of exploration.
The Teacher’s words take us back to God’s own words in Genesis 2:18:
“The Lord God said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.’”
To use an already overused phrase, we were created for community.
We were never meant to live life in solitude. This is true for all people, and it is especially true for those of faith in Christ.
We alone are responsible for our decision to follow Jesus, but following Jesus isn’t meant to be done by ourselves.
In Genesis, God created Eve. In Ecclesiastes, we are encouraged to find friends who can walk with us and whom we can walk with to share burdens, be productive, and help each other when we cannot succeed on our own.
Friends can be the iron that sharpens a man (Proverbs 27:17). Our strength and courage can deepen through the knowledge that we do not stand alone—we have brothers who stand beside us.
Friends hold us accountable to be the growing versions of ourselves that God is shaping us into, calling us to pursue the virtues of Christlikeness and to leave behind the vices of our old selves.
Community makes men better and lets us be ourselves more than we can be alone.
Prayer: God who created us to live in community, thank You for the reminders that I need others in my life. Forgive me for my isolation and insulation from the community that is so good for me. Help me to find and be a friend to others in my life. Amen.
Reflection: Do you have friends who walk beside you through life? Are you a friend who walks beside others?
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