Steve Grant
Under The Sun? Or Under The Son? – Series on Ecclesiastes
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
The Value Of Companionship
28 September 2014

As Paul Simon said in his song I Am a Rock, sometimes it is easier to hide in your room within the safety of your womb; you have no need of friends because friendship causes pain. It is true that relationships can cause immense grief and pain. But like Paul Simon, should we become rocks and islands (because rocks and islands never cry nor feel pain)? Solomon has a very different idea. Because whilst it is true that islands don't cry or feel pain, they also do not feel joy or have the ability to laugh.

Going back a verse we see Solomon addressing a loner in verse 8. And here in today’s passage he continues to speak to the idea of social isolation. In doing so he speaks to us in the present day; especially to our ideas of friendship that are often influenced by the cold, impersonal comfort of social media.

We become so cold in our Christian walk by choosing to walk alone, we freeze to spiritual death.

As believers, we would do well to heed the instruction of Solomon in the area of godly friendship and companionship.