7 Again I saw something meaningless under the sun:
8 There was a man all alone;
he had neither son nor brother.
There was no end to his toil,
yet his eyes were not content with his wealth.
“For whom am I toiling,” he asked,
“and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?”
This too is meaningless—
a miserable business!
he had neither son nor brother.
There was no end to his toil,
yet his eyes were not content with his wealth.
“For whom am I toiling,” he asked,
“and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?”
This too is meaningless—
a miserable business!
9 Two are better than one,
because they have a good return for their labor:
10 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.
11 Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.
But how can one keep warm alone?
12 Though one may be overpowered,
two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
because they have a good return for their labor:
10 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.
11 Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.
But how can one keep warm alone?
12 Though one may be overpowered,
two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
My neighbors moved here from Ohio a few years ago to take a job. They brought their two kids, three dogs, two cats, and a handful of snakes with them (I haven't ever asked the actual number of pet snakes next door, because I really don't want to know the truth).
They are nice people, always saying hi when we're getting our mail or passing on the road. But I've noticed that they don't have many visitors -- I'd expect that their friends and family are still in Ohio.
This past fall, the husband's brother (and best friend) died in a car accident suddenly. I tried to offer to bring food or help take care of their pets while they went back to Ohio (and if they'd said yes, I would be hiring someone to feed those snakes). But they said "No, thank you. We are fine."
Then winter came, and in Indiana you don't see your neighbors much because everyone stays indoors until about mid-March. So, yesterday, I just saw the wife for the first time really since late November. And she did not look well. Even through her car window, I could tell that her eyes were tired, her skin looked older, and she'd let her gray hair grow in rather than get her usual color.
My heart ached for them. They are grieving still, and they are pretty much all alone except for the four of them. I was wondering at that moment if maybe they were wishing they hadn't taken this job and that they were back in Ohio...I don't know.
7 Again I saw something meaningless under the sun:
8 There was a man all alone;
he had neither son nor brother.
There was no end to his toil,
yet his eyes were not content with his wealth.
“For whom am I toiling,” he asked,
“and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?”
This too is meaningless—
a miserable business!
he had neither son nor brother.
There was no end to his toil,
yet his eyes were not content with his wealth.
“For whom am I toiling,” he asked,
“and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?”
This too is meaningless—
a miserable business!
Here's a guy who is working so hard, but he doesn't have anyone to share his life with because he doesn't have any relationships. I'm sure at his work place people might say hi to him, they might ask him how his weekend was or if he watched the game last night...but that's as deep as it goes. He's like an Ebenezer Scrooge, with or without the grumpiness. He has no one, but there is still no end to his labor. He has sacrificed relationship for riches and it's not what he thought it would be.
How many people have shortchanged time with their families for an extra $10,000 a year? Or how many young consultants don't have relationships because they travel all the time and their only "friend" is a hotel TV?
Ty Cobb, the great Detroit Tiger whose harshness constantly pushed people away, said, "If I had to do it over, I'd make more friends." Money and fame weren't enough.
9 Two are better than one,
because they have a good return for their labor:
10 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.
11 Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.
But how can one keep warm alone?
12 Though one may be overpowered,
two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
because they have a good return for their labor:
10 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.
11 Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.
But how can one keep warm alone?
12 Though one may be overpowered,
two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
Solomon reminds us that life is met better with two people rather than just one. If one's having a hard day, the other will encourage him. Working together, two will accomplish more than just one. And two can keep warm together, which we could say has some deep metaphorical meaning, but I'm telling you: nothing gets my cold feet warmer at bedtime than sticking them between Josh's calves (sorry, Josh). Life is just better with two -- and it doesn't have to mean a spouse. Life is buddies. Life is pals. Life is friends and relationships. Life = PEOPLE.
Even though I enjoy my husband tremendously, there are times that I just need "my girls." We'll go for a walk and talk about the college days, or we'll stroll through a store and discuss how the chevron pattern really would go better in my bedroom than the paisley -- you know, very important things.
Solomon is asking us, "What's the use of accumulating money if you have no one with whom to spend it?" Really, that's a great question!
To quote the author of a book I'm reading: "Life is not just making a living or performing a function. It is experiencing the delight of people. Cultivate and protect your friends. Develop friendships with willful acts of enjoyment. Protect your friends by constant acts of courtesy and sensitivity. Make sure you stay in touch with people [especially the ones you want to keep].
When it's all said and done, the only thin you'll have with you at your funeral will be your friends and family. The people who made money from your work won't be there, but your friends will. And they will be crying" [brackets mine].
Are you lonely today? Don't be lonely by design. Choose to be a loving, giving, kind, servant-hearted friend (notice those were all about the other person, not about what you can get). Please don't wait for people to reach out to you, because they may not. If you desire true friends, tell God about it. Then, go invite someone to go out for a cup of coffee and be prepared to ASK a lot of questions (no one wants to be a friend to someone who does all the talking), and be prepared to share a little bit of yourself with that person -- be real.
It takes time to develop friendships that are pure and deep. But it's worth it. Solomon and I agree that when it comes to true friends, there is absolutely nothing more valuable.
Molly Monroe
No comments:
Post a Comment