One is the Loneliest Number

“Some Christians try to go to heaven alone, in solitude. But believers are not compared to bears or lions or other animals that wander alone. Those who belong to Christ are sheep in this respect, that they love to get together. Sheep go in flocks, and so do God’s people.”  ~ Charles Spurgeon

Laish was a great place to live. The people were prosperous, they were at peace, their land lacked nothing, and they had very few neighbors to bother them (Judges 18:7-10, 27-28).

But suddenly, their happy existence ended. Warriors from the tribe of Dan attacked Laish and “there was no one to rescue them because they lived a long way from Sidon and had no relationship with anyone else” (Judges 18:28a).

Isolation is a dangerous place to live. Peace and prosperity give us a false sense of security. They deceive us into thinking we can survive, and even thrive, on our own. But we were designed for relationships and we need friends, especially in times of trouble. 

The writer of Hebrews is doing more than encouraging church attendance with this directive: “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching” (Hebrews 10:25).

Don’t mistake peace and prosperity for security, and don’t live in isolation. Build friendships during the good times so that you will have godly allies to stand with you when the raiding parties of life make you their target.