Page 146 - The Prosperous Way _ (APRIL 2024 v3)

THE PROSPEROUS WAY

had prepared an assortment of fruit, cheeses, chocolates, and cakes for
dessert. We ate, talked, and laughed! It was a delightful evening spent
with a good friend.

As I left her house, I reflected on how important relationships are. How
different my evening would have been, I thought, if I had set my own
table with all of the food and treats that we had enjoyed that night but
had eaten alone! It highlighted the stark reality of money's limitations
in providing a truly satisfying life.

FRIENDSHIP IN THE BIBLE

The Bible has a lot to say about the significance of friendship. Take, for
example, Ecclesiastes 4:7-8, which describes the futility of gaining
wealth in the absence of relationships.

7 Again I saw something meaningless under the sun:
8 There was a man all alone;
he had neither son nor brother.
There was no end to his toil,
yet his eyes were not content with his wealth.
“For whom am I toiling,” he asked,
“and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?”
This too is meaningless—
a miserable business! (Ecclesiastes 4:7-8)

Now, let’s contrast the verses that follow immediately in Ecclesiastes
4:9-12:
9 Two are better than one,
because they have a good return for their labor:
10 If either of them falls down,
one can help the other up.
But pity anyone who falls
and has no one to help them up.
11 Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.
But how can one keep warm alone?
12 Though one may be overpowered,
two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken
(Ecclesiastes 4:9-12)

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