Daily Devotion: Better Together
The longer I live, the more I understand how important loving relationships are, and how important it is to be in community with one another. We were never meant to live our life isolated as an island unto ourselves. God intended us to be in community with one another, to motivate and strengthen and support one another. That’s the healthy way to live.
The writer of Ecclesiastes says, “Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other one can reach out and help.”
I’ve seen how true that is in my life. I am what I am today not because of all my great achievements or because I’m so smart, but because I had family and friends who helped me, who motivated me, who challenged me even when I didn’t want to hear it. It made all the difference in my life.
If you’re going to live a successful life, you have to understand that the good people whom God has put in your life are important and worth developing a strong relationship and community with. And you need to realize that good relationships are a two-way street. It’s as much about what you give as what you receive.
The Bible tells us “to encourage one another daily” (Hebrews 3:13). It doesn’t say, “Wait around to be encouraged.” It says, “Have an exchange of encouragement on a daily basis.” That is where we find help and growth. We’re better together. We’re meant to be together.
Did you know that the giant redwood trees in Northern California grow 350-feet tall and 22-feet wide at the base, yet their roots are only 5 to 6 feet deep? It seems impossible that these incredibly tall trees have such shallow roots.
However, the roots spread wide, extending up to 100 feet out, and intertwine and even fuse with roots of the other trees. This network of support gives them tremendous strength to withstand high winds and raging floods. And the redwoods find nutrition with one another, which helps them survive in periods of drought.
If we could be as united in our lives as those redwood trees are, I believe we could withstand any of life’s storms and droughts. Whom are you intertwined with today? When you give them your greatest commodity, which is you, it makes all the difference in the world. When you intertwine your life with others’ lives, they will stand strong and you will stand strong. Together, you’ll grow with the strength and blessings of God.