Connections of life are necessary because all men by divine fiat are social creatures. What it means to be a human being is found only in the expression of the interaction of at least two people.

Although a person has individuality, he has his identity only in the light of another person. He actually comes to know and to understand himself as he sees himself reflected in the lives of other people.

Connections of life is the sole basis for man to come to know himself.

As beholding himself in a mirror, he comes to know himself from what he sees. The reflection that comes back to him from the people with whom he is interacting is the sole basis for his sense of identity. This fact alone inseparably ties an individual to the need of others.

Like the musical note that stands alone, the melodious medley of life is non-existence in the acts of an individual. To experience the good life, the individual must enter into a strain or series of harmonious interaction with others. The individual makes music only when he is placed in relationships with others.

Furthermore, changing the particular frequency of an individual musical note standing alone matters little. Although the pitch of the note changes, it still remains a musical note with only a higher or lower sound.

Changing the frequency of that musical note as it stands in relation to other musical notes can move the sound from harmony to disharmony. It can take mere noise to the sound of music. It is the relationship of the notes that makes the melodious music.

So it is in living life. It matters little if an individual standing alone changes anything or everything about himself. As he moves in and out of relationships the essence of life is drastically altered. The good life (or the bad life) is measured only by the interaction between individuals.

Connections of life is the barometer of whether  life is good or bad.

Man, without Christ, no longer has the capability even to perceive the realm where that good life is experienced. He simply cannot understand the mystery of the realm of grace. Paul declared

. . . all the body by joints and bands [attachments] having nourishment ministered [fully supplied], and knit together [united together], increaseth [to grow] with the increase [growth] of God (Col. 2:19).

Man cannot comprehend the mystery of his needs being fulfilled only in others.

It is not that most men do not perceive the need for others. They do. Unfortunately, most men see others only as a means to their end. Without the revelation of Jesus Christ, man will always use others to meet his perceived needs.

Man, at his best, will endeavor to acquire some admirable social skills to enhance his interaction with others. He will develop those skills only to have a more stable existence. He desires to have the least amount of personal trouble for himself. He is willing to give up the fulfillment of some of his short term desires. He knows by doing so his personal enhancement might reap greater dividends in the future. He simply does not understand that the life he desires to experience can only be found in, not by, others.

Man at his worst constantly finds himself in abusive relationships. Paul described this abuse to the Philippians:

For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things” (Phil. 3:18).

With his belly (inner selfish desires) as his God, man unknowingly plunges into his death. He does not perceive that the end of his abusiveness is hell.

Connections of life is to experience the magnificent obsession of loving and being loved.

Every man can experience the noble life of loving and being loved. This magnificent obsession is experienced only as  man is moved from the natural realm of relationships. He must experience the supernatural kingdom of God. A new way of speaking, a new way of seeing, and a new way of thinking must occur. He must come to understand the mysteries of the connections of life.

The highest pleasure and sense of satisfaction known to man can be experienced. It is when two people come together to experience a moment of ecstasy, a moment of the connections of life.  The joy of living only occurs as an individual moves into harmonious interaction with others.  You, too, can experience the connecting links of life, the relationship of love. (174 pages)