While there are certainly divine illustrations to be found in Ecclesiastes 4:12, there’s also a lot of insight for how we live in community. One person is an individual. Two people make a relationship. But when we get to “three” we have community. We have become something we could not be on our own. The strands are now a strong cord.
True connections take time, commitment, and courage. While social media can make it seem like bonding is as easy as clicking a “like” button, we’re called to go deeper with each other. And that means making relationships a priority. Our seasons of life and circumstances will impact our capacity for connection, but we can all pause and ask, “What can I do to truly connect with the people I love?” Even a little bit of time or encouragement can make a big difference.
Being intertwined means choosing to stay even when it’s hard. We live in a fallen world, and we are fallen people. That means inevitably conflicts will come, personalities will clash, and disappointments will happen. But we become stronger when we learn to stay because the strands of rope depend on each other. What happens to one happens to all of them. We’re told, “Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep” (Rom. 12:15, ESV). We’re to share the happy and the hard of life. Community means we win together and we lose together. We cheer each other on, hold each other up, and keep Jesus at the center of it all.
Holley Gerth is an author and a member of the (in)courage community. Excerpted from Craving Connection: 30 Challenges for Real-Life Engagement from the (in)courage community. Copyright 2017 B&H Publishing Group.
