Re: Verse reading–Ecclesiastes 4:9-12; 1 Samuel 20:1-17, 27-42 (day five) But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up.
Greetings from St. Louis. Having spent the better part of the last 2 days on a bus, I can tell you the interaction and conversations are abundant and interesting. One of my favorite conversation games is “famous movie lines”. From drama to horror to comedy, each of the adults gets a turn to “entertain” the group. Inevitably, Mel Brooks movies make their way into the conversation. In his parody of the Star Wars movies, Brooks creates an alien being named MOG. MOG introduces himself in a classic movie quote, “I’m a MOG: half man, half dog. I’m my own best friend”. (I may have used that one on this trip)
I know believers who have that same mindset. They live in loneliness, isolation, and obscurity. Often, it comes from an unwillingness to engage and pursue friendship and community. Friendship is hard work- patience, forgiveness, honesty, flexibility, and energy are all required. But the Bible clearly encourages these relationships. The Christian life is not an “individual sport”. It is most effective in the context of deep and meaningful friendships.