17 As iron sharpens iron,
so one person sharpens a friend.
Reflection
This verse is one of my favorites. “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens a friend. Which leads me to believe there are no solo Christians. Bottom line: we need each other.
I have been aware of the importance of relationships since my early Christian days in the late 1970s. New members were assigned “Prayer Partners” and mine was Ron McCormick, a spiritual man with much wisdom. Through the years the companionship title might have changed but the role never altered. There are no solo Christians, at least there shouldn’t be. We need someone. Someone who loves us like a brother or sister.
Over the past several years I have grown so much closer to my siblings. None live in Florida but they are only a phone call away.
Fortunately, I have my spiritual family and friends. We find in Proverbs 18:24, “One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” And then there is also Proverbs 27:17.
I written about a special relationship that’s developed during the past several years. Greg, my daughter’s father-in-law and I have become best friends, prayer and discipleship partners, exercise buddies and much more. But God has given me many close relationships, and they really helped during my season of grieving after Nancy died.
Solomon wrote about the person who had no one close in Ecclesiastes 4:10B, “But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.” I call that my “Mr. T” verse. Pity the fool…
A few verses earlier Solomon wrote of a man all alone; who had neither son nor brother. He was a rich man, but he was a miserable man.
Let’s look at the final verses in Ecclesiastes chapter 4 beginning with verse 9: “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.Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone?Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.”
Of course, Jesus in the center of that cord.
“Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
We need each other. There are no solo Christians in heaven.
by Rick Reed
For Pondering and Prayer
Do you have things you need to pray about? Find a prayer partner, or two. Don’t be the person who falls down and has no one to help him up.
Prayer: Do you have things you need to pray about? Find a prayer partner, or two. Don’t be the person who falls down and has no one to help him up. Amen.
