"But woe to him who is alone when he falls,
for he has no one to help him up."
for he has no one to help him up."
Ecclesiastes 4:10
The teenage girl had moved to a certain city where her father had been relocated in his business. She was shy about going to a new high school during her senior year. She was so discouraged, leaving her friends in a distant place. How would she fit in at another school? Would she have any good friends? Her life had been uprooted, and she felt out of place. This went on for many weeks, until her family joined a new church. She was accepted and welcomed. It wasn't long before she made new friends who helped her adjust to a new school and community. She no longer felt alone.
We need each other. Everyone needs friends who really care about them. We all need a network of support. Teenagers feel this as much as anyone, but we never outgrow our need for a social network. Those friends who surround us have a major impact on our lives. For this reason, the apostle Paul warns us, "Do not be deceived: 'Evil company corrupts good morals" (1 Cor. 15:33). Good company can encourage us in our faith and service for God. Evil company may influence us to turn away from God's will for our lives.
Consider the friends in your life. Who can you depend upon to lift you up and encourage you? Who among your friends have supported you through the hard times of life? What group has helped you to grow spiritually in your relationship with God? Is there a group that influenced you to drift away from your spiritual roots? These are important considerations in the direction of our lives. Trusted friends who really care about us are gifts from God. They want the best for us. They are there for us when we need them. That's a true friend. We need each other.
Prayer: Father, thank You for true friends who care about us. You have brought them into our lives to support us and help us. Use us to be a true friend to others through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
