Outside of Christ, the loaner has a meaningless and difficult life (7,8). He toils to build wealth, forgoing enjoyment, and has forsaken a legacy to pass it onto. He does not make the effort to find friends nor take the risk to find a companion of the opposite sex to love and be loved.
Even a believer if alone has no one to support and heal them (9-12). Some chose to be monks in a community. This is not them. These verses are talking about the individual that chooses to remain alone. They forgo to the gift of having a friend to help them up when down (10) or work together with someone to make a better life (11).
Jesus brought this one step further by making it a command. He said, “
I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.” (Luke 16:9) Wealth here is not just money. The great commission includes friendship-making (Matthew 28:19).
