The Old Testament book Ecclesiastes was written by King Solomon near the end of his life. Solomon is about to pass off the scene, so he passes on words of wisdom to help others avoid the same mistakes he made.
The teaching of Ecclesiastes essentially is this: Any life not centered on God is a waste. Without God, wisdom is a waste, work is a waste, riches are a waste, pleasure is a waste. Without God, these things aren’t worth a lick! They serve no point! They are absolutely meaningless!
But that’s not all that’s meaningless. Consider what Solomon writes in Ecclesiastes 4:7-12:
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 work:
If one falls down, his friend can help him up.
But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him 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.
Here is the picture of a man who has no friend. He continues to pile up profits, but there is no one with which to share the rewards of his labor. Friendlessness makes life futile. How much better it is to have a partner and friend who can assist (v.10), warm (v.11), and protect (v.12). Three friends together form an even stronger bond (v.12).
Of course Jesus Christ is the greatest Friend of all. And the more we imitate Him, the better friends we‚Äôll be to others. It has been said that the best vitamin for making friends is “B1.”
In his book, Acts of Love, David Jeremiah shares F. W. Borham’s analogy of friendship – one of the best I’ve ever read:
The highest art in dominoes lies in matching your companion’s pieces. Is he glad? It’s a great thing to be able to rejoice with those who rejoice. Is he sad? It’s a great thing to be able to weep with those who weep. It means, of course, that if you answer the challenge every time, it won’t be long before your dominoes are gone. But it is worth remembering that victory in dominoes does not lie in accumulation, but in exhaustion. The player who is left with empty hands wins everything.
As a pastor, I am truly thankful for those in our church who truly befriend others with the love of Christ. There is no way I could possibly meet the spiritual, emotional, and relational needs of everyone in our congregation. But I know men and women who, often behind the scenes, write that encouraging note … make that extra meal … run that helpful errand … give that needed hug … offer that needed prayer.
This is what the body of Christ is all about. As Bill and Gloria Gaither exclaimed, “I‚Äôm so glad I‚Äôm a part of the family of God!”
Ecclesiastes is such a profound book: it teaches a negative lesson on what to avoid. As you say, the lesson of the book is that a life not spent serving God is a wasted life. “Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.” (Ecclesiastes 12:13)
In life, many want friends, but they tend to have inward focus, and do not attract a lot of friends. Those that have outward focus, and want to help others, tend to have their share of friends. (Proverbs 11:25)