BY PASTOR MARK HOPPER
Pastor Mark Hopper
As we continue our journey through the Bible, we were recently studying the Old Testament book of 2 Samuel, about the life of King David. There are a variety of people and events recorded in this book. One passage that caught my attention was in Chapter 23. In this chapter, there is a list of David’s Mighty Men. Thirty different men are listed in this passage, and each one of them distinguished themselves with valor and courage in battle. Some stood alone when other soldiers fled. Some defeated powerful opponents.
In many ways, these mighty men would be equivalent to our country’s Medal of Honor recipients; men who have demonstrated great acts of courage in battle or risked their lives to save others.
In the HBO series entitled, “Band of Brothers,” we see the bond that develops between men who experience combat together. Several of the men who were interviewed for that series shared that they felt closer to their fellow soldiers than to their own family members. David’s Mighty Men were his inner circle. They were his closest friends and trusted advisors.
I am convinced that every man needs the friendship and encouragement of other men. Most men act like they are the Lone Ranger or Rambo in the movies. Men tend to be independent and isolated from the friendship of other men. Even the Lone Ranger had a companion in Tonto.
Men, let me encourage you to allow some other men to become part of your life. Give them the freedom to encourage you when you are discouraged and to warn you when you may be straying into dangerous territory. And let me encourage you to be a friend to them. They need your friendship and support as much as you need theirs. Look for some men who share common interests with you. Find some things to do together, such as camping, fishing, hiking or building; things that can be the first step to building a lasting friendship.
Most of us will probably never experience the hardships of military combat, but most of us can find a friend or two that we can share life’s’ journey with. We all need a Band of Brothers.
Pastor Mark Hopper
Evangelical Free Church of Diamond Bar
3255 South Diamond Bar Blvd
(909) 594-7604
