Proverbs 18:24. A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
One true friend is far superior to having many companions.
This is the lesson of today’s proverb. Have you learned this lesson? Have you sought out a quantity of friends over the quality of friends. Basic sociology has proven this proverb true in today’s social media obsessed culture. We have hundreds and thousands of friends on Facebook, or even millions of followers on TikTok or Instagram, but all studies show that we are the loneliest we’ve ever been as a society. Even if social media doesn’t cause loneliness, it sure doesn’t fix it.
Sadly, most research shows that Christians are just as lonely as everyone else. The things that we do in church like gathering, singing together, and fellowship are the exact things that any good therapist would tell a lonely person to do, yet often Christians who do these things still feel lonely. In her book, The Loneliness Epidemic, Susan Mettes points out the difference between those who simply go to church and those who find meaning in Christ. Those who both go to church and find meaning for life in Christ were far less likely to be lonely. Whereas, those who only go to church, without a meaningful relationship with Christ, still feel the loneliness epidemic.
All of this proves the point of the proverb. Having many companions (going to church) is no substitute for having that one True Friend who sticks closer than a brother (a relationship with Christ).
At the same time, we must be careful not to make it seem like all we need is Jesus and we will never be lonely again. Loneliness might be one of God’s best tools for drawing us back to faith in himself and his family, the church body. Adam’s loneliness helped him see his need for Eve, even while in the presence of God. No, God does not want us to feel lonely to the point of despair; such gloom is the result of the Fall. Yet, loneliness is a normal part of life. And loneliness is not simply cured by “being close to God and Christ.” Some very godly people were also very lonely. Moses, David, Naomi, Esther, Elijah, Paul, and of course even Jesus. Each of these had faith in God yet felt all alone at times.
For Jesus it was the cross of loneliness that was his greatest test of faith. Yet even in his moment of separation from the Father he was never alone. The Holy Spirit sustained him as the Friend, the paraclete, that sticks closer than any brother. The Holy Spirit sustained, strengthened, and vindicated Jesus while he hung on that cross. The Father may have “turned his face away” as was necessary to fulfill all righteousness, but at the same time the Spirit was presenting Jesus’ sacrifice to the Father as a fragrant offering for sin. Hallelujah!
Where does that leave us? With the same Friend sticking to us. The Spirit of Christ living in us, presenting our lives to the Father as the same offering as Christ, so that we might never come to ruin.
You: Are you generally lonely? Do you chase many companions or close friends?
You in Christ: How can union with Christ allow us to let our loneliness re-connect us to Christ and his Body, the Church?
Christ in you: Do you see Jesus and the Spirit as friends? What might help you to see them this way?
Pray: Father, you have connected my life to the Trinity is a never breaking friendship of love and grace. Hallelujah! Amen.
To Live is Christ 