Cultivating Meaningful Relationships
Dear CoaH,
After a long pandemic, people are flocking to McDonald's and Tim Hortons again. In the café near my house, I see a group of older men in their 70s and 80s gathering every morning. Their English has a strong Eastern European accent. When I asked, they said they immigrated from North Macedonia long ago. I envy these men who gather almost religiously every morning to talk. The older we get, the more critical we have friends to share conversations with.
There is an article about 'short-lived people and long-lived people' going around on Kakao Talk these days. I don't know the exact source, so I can't trust this information 100%, but it's worth considering the argument that the fewer friends you have, the easier it is to get sick and die sooner. The secret to longevity is neither about refraining from smoking or drinking, nor differences in working style, social status, or economic situation, but interpersonal relationships. If you have a lot of meaningful friends, you will live a long life.
How many friends do we have that we can talk to openly? Wouldn't it be great if we could have several friends we can count on when we're lonely or frustrated? In 2 Timothy 4, facing death in the Roman prison, Paul mentioned the names of his co-workers and partners in the gospel. Starting with Demas, who abandoned Paul in prison 'because he loved the world and has gone to Thessalonica,' Paul mentioned Crescens, Titus, Luke, Mark, Tychicus, Priscilla, Aquila, Onesiphorus, Erastus, Trophimus, Eubulus, Pudens, Linus, and Claudia. In particular, he earnestly appealed to Timothy to come before winter (2 Timothy 4:21).
To be exact, Paul did not live long. He was martyred in his late 60's. However, every relationship he kept was precious, and because of those relationships, his life shined. We should learn from him how important it is to maintain good relationships with people around us. Investing in and cultivating meaningful connections rather than making our list of friends shorter and shorter, our life takes on a new meaning.
May the LORD bless you and keep you safe.
Pastor Minho Song
