Though one may be overpowered,
two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
As Ecclesiastes unfolds, contrasting pictures emerge from its pages. We see secular wisdom at variance with the divine wisdom from on high. We discover the wonderful hope we have in our eternal God, as the antithesis of man’s devastating despair in this fallen world system. We hear of the futility of man’s fleshly accomplishments and the emptiness and pain that permeates every aspect of life, when God is excluded. We discover that the continuous ebb and flow of human activity, secures the soul of every man in the iron-grip of death, and no-one is exempt. Yet Solomon’s conclusion, when all had been evaluated, is that man’s duty is to fear God and to keep His commandments. Having been endowed with wisdom, wealth, fame, and nobility, this royal son of David strayed far from the truth and dishonored the Lord, Who had blessed him mightily. However, he finally recognized his folly and concluded that life without God is futile, false, and fruitless. As Solomon reflected on the choices in his search for the meaning in life, his conclusions help us to focus on what is beneficial, to prioritize wisely and not to crave the passing pleasures this world has to offer. Although Solomon was a man who forgot to pay heed to the advice of his own father, he wanted his sons to make wise choices in their journeys. He recognized his own personal achievements, intellectual greatness, fabulous wealth, military might and far-reaching fame were no more beneficial to a man’s eternal soul than chasing after the wind or trying to catch hold of a passing breeze. Amidst all the futility and foolishness that Solomon identified in his own life, he realized the value in human relationships and the benefits of not being alone. Two are stronger and two are more productive. Two provide one another with warmth on a cold night, protection from an enemy attack and companionship instead of isolation. It is as he reflects on the benefits of two that he adds, “And a cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart – a threefold cord is not quickly broken.” This sudden departure from a partnership of two to include a third party is often quoted or interpreted to mean the Lord as the third strand in the cord of three. And in consideration of Solomon’s life of foolishness and folly, where he ignored the godly wisdom of the wise and strayed from the path of righteousness, this observation appears to be one of his fleeting moments of clarity, where Solomon recognized the wisdom of including the Lord in every earthly partnership and each area of life. When God is included in any alliance, partnership, family, or company, it is a successful association. When a marriage, a business partnership or close friendship invites God to be that third cord in their relationship, it is strengthened, enduring and satisfying. Whether or not this was in Solomon’s mind when he wrote, “a cord of three strands is not easily broken”, including God in our relationships and activities is something we should all consider. Life on earth is difficult, and our time is fleeting, but we have choices to make every day of our lives…in the relationships we make and activities we undertake. May we ensure that the choices we make and the activities in which we are engaged are wise, and that Christ is always the third strand in every relationship and our heavenly guide in all our decisions.
Spiritual Steve 