Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work. If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the one who falls and has no one to help him up! Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

Ecclesiastes' author, "The Teacher," struggled to find meaning in daily toil, and many are those today who can identify with him.

American society worships self-sufficiency, independence … the so-called "self made" individual. But as the Teacher will attest, even noble work at the expense of relationships proves meaningless.

Incessant strife for power, popularity, and possessions can alienate friends, family, and God. Pursuit of wisdom, pleasure, and work for their own sakes, the Teacher says, is "chasing after the wind." Apart from relationships, life and work lose their lasting rewards. We finally acquire what we longed for only to ask, Is that all there is?

What does a man gain from all his labor at which he toils under the sun? (Ecclesiastes 1:3)

Then, amid the Teacher's sea of cynicism, comes a refreshing and hopeful thought: "Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work. If one falls down, his friend can help him up." In relationship … life and work acquire meaning.

A wise youth minister many times said, "To God, relationships are everything." We are created for meaningful, abundant lives in communion with God and others. By design, our greatest fulfillment begins when we enter a relationship with God through Jesus Christ. That primary relationship enables us to develop healthy, satisfying relationships with others. Our daily tasks are more attainable when we can share the load. Equally rewarding, we get to return the favor, to lift up someone who falls or needs encouragement. God's best gifts come in relationships.

Life's lessons are best learned in a supportive community that allows us to practice, succeed, and even fail. The courage to risk comes more easily with safety nets—God-given relationships developed through time and energy. When we inevitably miss a step and fall, our nets are there. And through encouragement, faith, and love, we also hold the net for others and help them to their feet.

At times, daily work is wearisome toil. But God's blessings through well-tended relationships more than compensate. Yes, relationships that give life meaning were God's idea!

Questions for discussion:

• What is it that gives your life meaning?

• Does your approach to life and work help or hinder your relationships with God and others?