God grants us relationships for many reasons. There is no doubt that the apostle Paul needed others if he was to accomplish the worldwide evangelization of Gentiles. Paul had far too much to accomplish for him to work alone! Paul also had an eye for investing in the next generation of leaders who would carry on his work, long after he was gone.
But there was another reason God granted numerous friends to Paul. It was because friendships encouraged and blessed the hard-working apostle. People like Timothy genuinely loved Paul. The former Pharisee from Tarsus seemed to engender deep feelings of love and loyalty in others. In return, Paul’s friends brought him joy. How hard it would have been to suffer the deprivations, persecutions, and lengthy imprisonments that Paul endured, if he had not had good friends who regularly brought him joy.
There is a popular theory that we should not allow ourselves to grow close to the people with whom we work. This viewpoint assumes that such relationships might cloud our judgment or tempt us to show favorites or to compromise our work. Yet the fact is that everyone needs friends. We all depend on others to walk with us and encourage us. Who is it in your life, that brings you joy?