I realised that I could never manage to give Nelson and Hugo as much exercise as they give each other. While Buba, Bonnie and I do our sedate 3½ km walk in the morning, the other two chase each other across the fields, probably covering 10 km at least, and ending the time fully satisfied with their workout.
It struck me that it's exactly the same for us as human beings. Whether our goal is physical exercise, losing weight, spending time in Bible study or developing a deeper prayer life, what a difference it makes to have a friend by our side, someone who can encourage us to be all we want to be and do all we want to do.
A well known passage in Ecclesiastes 4: 9 - 10 says that, "Two are better than one, because they have a better return for their labour... and if one falls down, the other is there to lift him/her up." With a recommendation like that, why would we choose to go it alone? Even when it comes to growing in God, it always helps to connect with a friend or be part of a community of believers.
