“Faithfulness is an endurance race and is most successful when traveled in the company of those who encourage our steady movement.”- Jeff Manion
“Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor. If either one 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)
“If you want to travel fast, travel alone. If you want to go far, travel together.”- African proverb
On Day 16 (“The Gift of Long-Term Friends”) , Week 4 of Dream Big, Think Small, Jeff Manion talks about the value of long-term friends. Such friends know you for who you are, not necessarily for anything you’ve accomplished. And, this kind of knowledge only comes with time. Furthermore, good friends dive into the area below the surface that few people see.
In Ecclesiastes 4, Pastor Manion notes, Solomon described a world he found neither safe nor secure. Because we fall and come under attack. Above all, you cannot predict when calamities will strike. As a result, Pastor Manion offers these words of counsel:
“Don’t wait until the bottom drops out of your life before you scramble to identify friends who can bolster you. The friendships we build when noting is going wrong sustain us when everything is going wrong. Your commitment to travel with someone when you are sure-footed, warm, and secure builds the relationship for the day you trip, or shiver, or find yourself unexpectedly under siege.”
In conclusion, Jeff observes that Solomon used a rope metaphor to add even more reinforcement to his challenge. A rope crafted from multiple strands endures pressure without snapping. Thus, each strand proves essential to the strength of the cord. Twisted and woven together, the strands intertwine to create a powerful bond.
Jeff adds: “Alone I am string. Together we are rope. A great image of enduring friendships.”
Today’s question: What good friends bolster you in the endurance race of faithfulness? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “Diligent repetition brings life”
