WISDOM FOR REWARDING RELATIONSHIPS

“Two are better than one, because they have a GOOD REWARD for their labor” – Ecclesiastes 4:9

God’s Wisdom speaks to all aspects of life, including His WISDOM for REWARDING RELATIONSHIPS: “Two are better than one, because they have a GOOD REWARD for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he has no one to help him up. Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; but how can one be warm alone? Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken” (Ecc.4: 9-11). These scriptures infer that Marriage is rewarding. They resonate with what God, the Manufacturer of Marriage said at the Beginning: “It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him” (Gen.2:18). God considered man’s aloneness as NOT GOOD; by inference, MARRIAGE IS GOOD!

The Wisdom Book also says: “He who finds a wife finds a good thing, and obtains favor from the Lord” (Pro.18:22). Though the reality of Marriage can also be tough, as we imbibe and walk in God’s Wisdom Ways, we’ll find that marriage is rewarding. Verse 8 describes the misery a person experiences when they’re alone: “There is one alone, without companion: He has neither son nor brother. Yet there is no end to all his labors, nor is his eye satisfied with riches. But he never asks, “For whom do I toil and deprive myself of good?” This also is vanity and a grave misfortune.”

Life is better in partnership or community. These truths were penned thousands of years before similar common sayings such as: “Two heads are better than one” or “no man is an island.” To be alone isn’t necessarily negative, but a better and more fruitful way to live life is alongside other people, as best exemplified in the contexts of Marriage and Family. The text describes different aspects in life when two are better than one: in work (v.9), during moments of weakness (v.10), for intimacy (v.11), and during moments of attack (v.12). This wisdom proves to be true and applicable in different life situations.

In moments of temptation, it’s far better to have someone to keep one accountable and prevent one from falling into sin. In moments of despair, it’s far better to have someone alongside to encourage one and to combat the onslaught of lies or negative thoughts. In moments of failure, it’s far better to have another person to walk through the pain with and to help get one back on one’s feet. The journey is not always easy or predictable, but God has promised to guide every step of the way.

Two are truly better than one – because that’s how God created it to be, doing life together. God Himself is a relational God. He exists within the community of the Trinity. God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are in an everlasting relationship with one another. As image-bearers of the Triune God, we too are meant to live in community with others; and this comes with great benefits. God’s mission is accomplished through the entire body of Christ as we work together with one another. The Bible calls us to stay in unity with one another, to lift each other up, to encourage each other, and to bear one another’s burdens. The Body of Christ thrives and the Glory of God shines the brightest within the context of relationship.

The ultimate Relationship is the “three-fold cord” (v.12) – unity between oneself, God, and another person. It is within the context of relationships with shared unity in God that the bond is even stronger. As the love of Jesus pours through us we are better equipped to pour love into others. Even in heaven, our life will always be about community with God and others. Life is better with another: two persons joined together for a lifetime. A wedding lasts a day, but a marriage lasts a lifetime. By the Grace of God and to His Glory, my wife and I clock 34 years of that Lifetime adventure – TODAY!