Friends
Judges 18:28, “And there was no one to deliver them, because it was far from Sidon and they had no dealings with anyone…”
The city of Laish, which the Danites attacked, was a totally separatist community. They had nothing to do with anybody else. That may sound good to some people, and to be completely honest it’s what I want from time to time; but then I remember how much I love people. People get “on my nerves” from time to time, but I could not imagine my life without other people in it. That’s kind of what the people of Laish did they were totally isolated. I imagine they might have had friends in the city, but when you left the city they were truly “strangers in a strange land”. When the Danites came to attack them they had no help from their neighbors. Others may have seen or heard about what was going on, but they really didn’t care.
To me this is one of the saddest stories in the Bible. The Laish-ites(?) didn’t care about anyone outside their city, and in return no one outside the city cared about them, and when they were in need they had no one to turn to. Separatist ideas that may sound good to us from time to time really aren’t that good when they are put in context of the real world.
Ecclesiastes 4 says, “9 Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor. 10 For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up. 11 Furthermore, if two lie down together they keep warm, but how can one be warm alone? 12 And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart.”
There is an old, but valuable saying we can learn from, “No man is an island to himself.” We need other people in our lives; not only so we can cry on their shoulders during bad times or seek their help or advice when needed, but also so we can share our joys with them. Have you ever had something good happen, but you had nobody to share it with? It takes some of the joy away.
I have tried living my life alone, but it’s a lot better, and fulfilling when you have friends to share your ups and downs with! So, today you need to give thanks for the friends you have, and always look for opportunities to make new ones!
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Father God, I thank You for putting people in my life, and I ask that You help me to look for ways to be a friend so I can lift up others because I know You created us to live together in community, and fellowship with each other. In Jesus’ name, Amen
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The image above can be found at:http://clarelafferty.wordpress.com/2011/08/26/the-value-of-friends/
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