BONUS: Marked by Godly Relationships

“Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: if either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.” —Ecclesiastes 4:9–10

On her wedding anniversary—and just weeks after unexpectedly losing her young husband—a friend posted this short tribute: “We made a good team and completed each other. When I failed, he stepped in and where he failed, I stepped in. It was a partnership made in heaven and ordained by God.”

This is a modern-day paraphrase of the Ecclesiastes verses describing godly relationships. It’s spouses, friends, pastors, and mentors who pick us up when we fall down and build us up when we’re struggling. It’s those who see bigger potential in us than we can see for ourselves and pray God’s biggest plans for us when we don’t have the strength to pray for ourselves. 

Godly relationships are easily identified because they bear such impact, love, and support that we somehow know the purpose is greater than just for our pleasure. Rather, it is God-ordained and for his glory.

As we pray for godly relationships for our children, pray that the Lord guards and anoints every relationship that impacts their lives. Pray for the Lord to bless them with deep, biblical friendships like Ruth and Naomi, godly mentors who speak truth like Nathan did to David, and spouses with an unrelenting love like Jacob and Rachel.

Lord, we were created to have relationships that draw us closer together and closer to you. Bless my children with friends, spouses, mentors, and others who build them up and point them back to you. Protect them from influences that are not your best in their lives. Teach [name] not just the importance of having godly friendships but also the gift of being a godly friend.

God’s word speaks: Proverbs 22:24–25; Ecclesiastes 4:12; Proverbs 27:17; Proverbs 17:17