Without brotherhood, men die younger.
In 1938, Harvard Medical began an 85-year study on the health of 268 men. It’s not surprising that the men who had the strongest and deepest relationships were the healthiest in mind, body, and spirit. In fact, men with positive relationships had greater income.
One study found that the average American man has just 1.7 friends. (We all know the .7 guy—he’s the one who no-shows when you need help moving.) Most men don't have someone they can call late at night if they're out of town and their family needs help.
Men need friends. We need each other. This study says our health depends on it. And it’s even more than that. Do you really want to set up the tent alone when you camp?
As a teenager, I went fishing with my friends Ron and Dave. We backpacked for a week high into the mountains on the backside of Yosemite in California, in the rugged Sierra Nevada Mountains. Dave and I wandered down the creek, away from camp, enthralled with our catch. We didn’t notice as twilight fell. Then came darkness, and we were lost.
Back at camp, Ron climbed on a rock with a Coleman lantern and stood there waving it, minute after minute, as Dave and I stumbled back. I’ll never forget looking up and seeing that light waving far away in the darkness up the mountain. It felt like the best thing that had ever happened. Our friend’s light guided us back.
That’s what friends do. That's brotherhood.
How do we make friends? By becoming the kind of friend to other men that we want for ourselves. To be a friend you “show yourself friendly” (Prov 18:24). What does that mean?
* Be an encourager.
* Every day, text two guys.
* Show up at your group.
* Volunteer at the church.
* Go into the community to coach some kids.
* Reach out to other men and go with them.
Find the brothers you need personally. Find the men who show up for things.
Sometimes it’s just a matter of standing on a rock and waving a light for another guy.
