During his 27 years coaching the 10-time national champion UCLA teams, 107-year-old Coach John Wooden often reminded his players, “It takes 10 hands to score a basket.” The underlying message was that teamwork is the key to success. As humans, we were never meant to be loners. Even from the beginning, God said, “It is not good for man (or woman) to be alone.”
Yet, loneliness has become a significant issue in today's world, affecting people of all ages, whether young, middle-aged, or elderly. Loneliness can be as deadly as any physical ailment. According to a global survey, approximately 33% of adults worldwide have experienced feelings of loneliness. Brazil had the highest percentage, with 50% of respondents reporting that they often, always, or sometimes felt lonely.
Solomon, in his wisdom, wrote in Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 (ESV):
"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."
Throughout history, the Bible has consistently advised a "we" rather than "me" mindset. Vision Christian Media suggests that to succeed in life, we should commit to:
A. Resisting the go-it-alone spirit that often characterizes our culture.
B. Cultivating meaningful relationships and treasuring friendships.
C. Reaching out to the lonely and those who have fallen.
D. Going out of our way to demonstrate true friendship.
In light of this, there are simple yet powerful actions we can take to combat this "killer" phenomenon.
For example, picking up the phone to talk to someone we haven’t spoken to in a while; visiting elder singles or couples, or reaching out to someone we know is feeling down or sick, for any reason, can make a significant difference.
Reach Out! And make someone's day!
