Colossians 4:7

Colossians 4:7 (ESV)
 [7] Tychicus will tell you all about my activities. He is a beloved brother and faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord.

The last 12 verses or Colossians are filled with names of Paul's friends and associates. Our American independence lends itself to understanding the Christian faith as primarily about God and me. It is personal and private. The old song with the line "you and me against the world" becomes "God and me against the world" in our evangelical minds. Our greatest biblical heroes are those that apparently stood all alone in their faith: Elijah, Jeremiah, Daniel, Samson, David. But Elijah had a widow's help and later the companionship of Elisha. Jeremiah had friends who pulled him out of the well. Daniel had his friends Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. Samson needed some friends to hold him accountable and challenge him. His problems were largely because he was a loner who insisted on doing things his way. Samson is no great model of faith nor faithfulness. David had his inner circle of friends beginning with Jonathan and ending with his long list of mighty men. The truth is that we were never intended to go it alone.

Faith was never intended to be a solitary and private thing. We need each other. We need the fellowship and friendship of others who share our faith and who are willing to walk through life with us when it gets hard. We need friends who will care about us enough to challenge us when we are headed down the wrong path and encourage us when things get rough. The apostle Paul did not live out his life and mission alone. Neither should we.

Father, forgive me for the times that I isolate myself from people. Forgive me for the arrogance that causes me to think that I don't need others. Thank you for those friends that you have placed in my life. May I grow to increasingly understand and value my brothers and sisters in Christ.

By His grace,
Rick Weinert