Going Alone
One of the supreme values of my time and place is independence, or at least the perception of independence. The development of technology which allows for independence is accelerating. In my father's time, it took two men to two men with a large crosscut saw to fell a tree. Now, one man with a chainsaw can cut many more logs in much less time. When I was a student, the minimum crew size to produce a television program was thirteen. It required large heavy equipment often in different parts of the studio complex. (I took a look at that and chose to go into radio.) Now, hand-held video cameras and digital editing suites make it possible for a producer to work alone. I could go on at length with examples.
Independence truly has some advantages. Some of us can accomplish more working by ourselves without the distractions of other people around. We like to choose occupations which allow us to stand or fall on our own. This can serve us well in some limited contexts, but ultimately we need to be connected to a community to get our needs met and to realize our full potential.
The man who is most often held up as the supreme example of human wisdom once said, "I saw vanity under the sun: one person who has no other, either son or brother, yet there is no end to all his toil, and his eyes are never satisfied with riches, so that he never asks, “For whom am I toiling and depriving myself of pleasure?” This also is vanity and an unhappy business. Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him––a threefold cord is not quickly broken. (Ecclesiastes 4:7-12)
God designed us for relationships. No one is complete without others. All together, humanity exhibits a rich variety of strengths, but no individual has them all. Individually, we have a blend of strengths and weaknesses. I can do some things better than some of my friends, but they can do other things better than I can. Together, we can accomplish more than either one of us could alone. But we don't just need each other to compensate for our weaknesses. Joy is an important aspect of relationship. I hardly ever laugh when working alone, but when someone is working alongside of me, it seems we can find many sources of mirth.
God made us in His "image and likeness." Because Divinity is plural, humanity is as well. The three personalities which together make up what we call "the Godhead" have no weaknesses for which to compensate, but they relate in love and joy, taking delight in their relationship. Thus it comes as no surprise that humans, like their Maker, are blessed by friendship, fellowship, communion, relationship (call it what you like), with each other and with God, Himself.
If life isn't working out for you as well as you'd hoped, perhaps it's because you've worked too hard at becoming independent. You've found ways of doing without others, of succeeding on your own, of being free of the demands of others. Problem is, you've cut yourself off from what I would argue is the greatest source of joy offered to humans. Along with the ability to relate to others, God offers us a relationship with Himself.
On our own, we can never measure up to God's standard, so we need to recognize that we're not coming to Him as an equal or on our own terms. But if we acknowledge this and accept Jesus' death for us as sufficient to give us access to God, we can begin to relate to Him as He intended - as children to their loving Father. Once we do that, opening ourselves to the Truth, not just as a body of factual information, but as a person, specifically the Lord Jesus Christ, we can begin to explore all of the advantages, or blessings, of being part of a vibrant community. One with God at its centre.
