Friends aren't just for fun

"The definition of fellowship is two or more fellows in the same ship." The point: camaraderie is forged in the midst of a shared struggle; and where such camaraderie is developed, great things are accomplished. King Solomon made the same observation in Ecclesiastes 4:12. There is strength in fellowship. It is the kind of strength each of us need in order to face and prevail against the stresses and obstacles of life. This brings up a crucial truth about friendship we often fail to appreciate. We tend to consider friendship as a nicety we enjoy in our free time. We tend to think of friends as the people we hang out with at the coffee shop or take to the movies. Certainly, after hours friendship is wonderful. But friendship is more than a source of entertainment; friendship is a powerful source for doing things. Friendship is a force for accomplishing common interests and overcoming shared obstacles together. Noted in Alexis De Tocqueville's two volume book titled, Democracy in America, is his observation that "Americans of all ages, conditions, and all dispositions constantly form associations."  He was noting the many professional and volunteer associations that Americans formed in their local communities, to labor together for a common cause...people uniting in fellowship. It is the sharing of our commonalities that forge lifelong friendships and strong communities.