Mutual commitment produces mutual good, one reason that two are better than one.
Friendships Are Good For Us
Our friendships can be extremely rewarding to us because they bring good into our life.
How so? Well, the benefits of a friendship include: mutual assistance during trouble, encouragement when we’re down, physical and emotional protection, as well as the enjoyment of casual conversations.
However, we must be intentional about building these friendships because they don’t happen by accident. Truly, friendship is a give-and-take process that’s marked by openness, acceptance, honesty, loyalty, forgiveness, and building up each other.
Healthy friendships are essential for our emotional wellbeing. The personal faith of both partners dramatically strengthens the relationship, especially during trying times. Ecclesiastes 4.9-12, paraphrase. proverbsforprofessionals.net
Two Are Better Than One
Ecclesiastes 4.9-12 encourages us to seek relationships, especially one-on-one connections, saying “Two are better than one …” Verse 9. These verses contrast with Ecclesiastes 4.7-8, which warn us about being so focused on the material that we ignore close friendships.
Some examples of significant one-on-one relations include a close friend, a mentor or a coach, a husband and wife, and a parent and child.
In Ecclesiastes 4.10 he mentions falling; that could be a physical fall or a poor choice that requires guidance and support. Verse 11 says “… two lie together …” suggesting intimacy such as a married couple. Verse 12 shows the two standing against an enemy.
As friendships grow, both individuals are opening up, both are sharing, and both feel comfortable about how things are progressing. proverbsforprofessionals.net
The Threefold Cord
Then, at the end of Ecclesiastes 4.12, we read: “… a threefold (triple-braided) cord is not quickly broken.” Given the emphasis on “two,” three times in four verses, who or what is this third strand in the relationship?
One view says the third strand is a common bond or goal, or a joint commitment between the two partners. More specifically, that mutual bond could be their personal faith in God, which holds together the partnership.
Indeed, two are better than one because that type of friendship is what makes two better than one!
In the deep-sharing stage of a friendship, both individuals have confidence in the other. Both are sharing freely. Only a few others, such as a spouse, are hearing these conversations. proverbsforprofessionals.net
Apply This Today!
Building mutually-supportive friendships is an essential aspect of intentional living. As such, be willing to give of yourself as a mentor, friend, married partner, or parent.
Friendship building involves risk taking because we open our inner self up to another person.
Mutually-beneficial friendships fulfill Proverbs 27.17, which says, in part “Iron sharpens iron…” These interactions build-up both friends. However, the assumption is that both add value to the friendship.
A Question to Consider
How are you currently benefitting from a mutually-supportive friendship?
I’m Dale Young. My posts share the balanced life to build wise character and guide wise behavior.
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