Rent-a-Friend?

Welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread. I'm Sheridan Voisey and I've titled our reading today, Rent-A-Friend. For many around the world, life is getting lonelier. The number of Americans who have no friends has quadrupled since 1990. Certain European countries have up to 20% of their population feeling lonely.

While in Japan, some elderly folks have resorted to crime so they can have the companionship of inmates in jail. Entrepreneurs have come up with a solution to this loneliness epidemic. Rent-A-Friend. Hired by the hour, these people will meet you in a cafe to talk or accompany you to a party. One such friend was asked who her clientele was. Lonely 30 to 40 year old professionals, she said, who work long hours and don't have time to make many friends. Ecclesiastes 4 describes a person who is all alone without son or brother. There's no end to this worker's toil, yet his success isn't fulfilling.

For whom am I toiling, he asks, waking up to his plight. Far better to invest in relationships, which will make his workload lighter and provide help in trouble. Because, ultimately, success without friendship is meaningless. Ecclesiastes tells us that a cord of three strands isn't quickly broken, but neither is it quickly woven. Since true friends can't be rented, let's invest the time needed to form them with God as our third strand, weaving us tightly together.

Today's scripture reading is from Ecclesiastes chapter 4 verses 7 to 12. Again, I saw something meaningless under the sun. 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. Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor. 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. Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone?

Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. Let's pray. Father, in this world, it is so easy to place work and achievement over relationship and friendship.

And in the busyness of life, it can be hard to connect with people that we want to know better, because either our schedules or theirs are just so full. Lord, would you help us to succeed in this business of friendship through being available, through being loyal, through being fun, coming alongside them just the way you come alongside us, because you are the greatest friend. Lord, we pray this in your name. Amen. Thanks for listening. I'm Sheridan Voisey and today's encouragement was provided by our Deli Bread Ministries.