Two Are Better Than One.

I am reading John Steinbeck’s East of Eden currently. I am not yet halfway through the book (because it’s gigantic), but I have found reading it enjoyable. I’m not setting out to explain the book; however, there is one character that has come to mind when I was reading in Ecclesiastes.

Charles was a man who did everything his father told him to do and was good at it. In spite of this his father loved his brother, Adam, more. This infuriated Charles so much that, even after their father died, he still held resentment against Adam. Adam went off to the war and Charles was working the farm alone. He did not marry, nor did he have any friends.



Adam came home after being enlisted twice into the army and taking a trip down to Argentina. It had been a long time. He had changed completely, his eyes being opened to the largeness of the world. Charles, however, wanted none of that foolish talk. Adam want to move to California and wanted Charles to come with.

In a conversation with Charles, Adam explains why he wants to move,

“Take a look at it, “ Adam said earnestly. “Neither one of us has got a chick or a child, let alone a wife. And the way we’re going it don’t look like we ever will. We don’t have time to look around for a wife. And here we’re figuring to add  the Clark place to ours if the price is right. What for?”

“It’s a damn fine piece,” said Charles. “The two of them together would make one of the best farms in this section. Say! You thinking of getting married?”

“No. And that’s what I’m talking about. Come a few years and we’ll have the finest farm in this section. Two lonely old farts working our tails off. Then one of us will die and the fine farm will belong to one lonely old fart, and then he’ll die off---”

Adam had stumbled on it. Their lives were going down an endless selfish path that led to no where. He wanted to get away from vanity. Ecclesiastes 4:6-12 says,

"Better is a handful of quietness than two hands full of toil and a striving after wind. Again, I saw vanity under the sun: one person who has no other, either son or brother, yet there is no end to all his toil, and his eyes are never satisfied with riches, so that he never asks, “For whom am I toiling and depriving myself of pleasure?” This also is vanity and an unhappy business.

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."

Community is a necessity to live this life. GOD created community because HE is in constant community. There are times when we need to be alone, and when being alone is enjoyable, but those should be breaks from good community. Because if you have good friends who love to spend time with you and love you, then they are showing you an picture of GOD and HIS love toward you.

God designed community because it’s part of HIS nature, and HE made it a part of our natures as well. However, sometimes (like all the good natures GOD has given us) we abuse this nature and live for the affirmation of our community. We must be vigilant to keep ourselves from desiring the affections of others and focus on God.

We must solely remember, “Fear GOD and keep HIS commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.”