It's hard to be alone today. With facebook, myspace, twitter, IM, Skype and texting one can be connected to someone virtually 24 hours a day. You can be involved with others lives all day long. It almost seems strange to talk about loneliness or being alone in this day and age.
Yet loneliness is very much alive today. It's possible to be in a crowd of people and still be lonely or alone. Just because you are surrounded by other human beings, just because you can contact friends and family at a moments notice, doesn't mean you can't be lonely. Some people actually choose to isolate themselves. Some people are isolated or ignored by others. Couples who live in the same home, share the same bed can drift apart and end up going in different directions.
I once heard Randy Phillips, then president of Promise Keepers, asked the 50,000 plus men assembled if they had 6 other men in their lives who would carry their casket. As we talked about it among the 60 men in our group, very few could actually name 6 guys that they were really close to. In fact, most of the men had more than one or two guys. I had to ask myself if I was close enough to 6 guys to have them carry my casket.
Many guys, especially, don't have that many close relationships with which they interact. The older one gets, it seems that there are less of those relationships in a man's life. It's easy to slip into the "I'm a self made man" mentality. Don't show a need for others in your life is the mantra. It's as if as a man, we don't need relationships.
This morning as I was lying in bed listening to the thunder and lightening, before my alarm went off, I was just thinking about our church family. I realized that there are only three guys in my church that are older than me. A new church that is probably to be expected. I have found myself hanging out some with our younger men, 15 to 20 years my junior. I still think of myself as that young, even though my body doesn't. I can keep up on the golf course, but other athletic events, I'm a little behind.
But it's not the keeping up that matters. It's the relationships that matter. And although we are at different stages in life, we benefit each other. I bring some wisdom of life experience and they keep me thinking young and teach me lots of things. I need them probably more than they need me. But there is no question Solomon is right when he talks about the advantages of friendship and partners in Ecclesiastes 3. Two are better than one because; they are more productive together, they can protect and encourage each other, they can strengthen each other.
But the real power in any relationship is when these friends, partners are joined together as brothers or sisters in Christ. When God is at the center of each friend or partner's life, the bond between the two or more is deepened and strengthened.
God, I know that I have a tendency to just want to do things on my own. But my relationship with you is missing something without the companionship and encouragement from other brothers and sisters in Christ. It's tough going it alone. I've tried way too much in my life. Keep me involved, Lord, in the lives of other men. Bring other men into my life too. I need them. Help me to honestly show my vunerability. Make me sensitive to my brothers needs.
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