The Power of Two - Martin Wiles

If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble. Ecclesiastes 4:10 NLT

His time of arrival had long passed.

My dad once pastored a church that offered a parsonage which was located by hundreds of acres of forest land. Since my middle brother and I loved to hunt, this offered us the chance to do so by simply walking out the back door. Normally, we hunted together, but at least one time, my brother decided he’d go alone.

As the first sign of dusk settled that evening, Mom got concerned. My brother hadn’t returned. When it was almost too dark to see shapes any longer, she sent me to look for him. Knowing the path he normally took, I set off through the woods, barely able to see my way without a flashlight. As I approached the area where I supposed he’d be, I called his name. Among the noise of the animals settling in for the night, I heard him answer.

For several hours, my brother had lain injured. While jumping a small creek, he had injured his ankle, preventing him from walking fast. I hefted him on my back, took his gun, and headed for home. Although in my early twenties, I was exhausted by the time we reached the house. But we made it—something it would have taken him hours to do had I not shown up.

The wise king offered no profound wisdom in this verse, but rather something we tend to forget: two are better than one—in almost any situation.

God created us for relationships. In the beginning, He didn’t create just one type of each animal, but many so they could reproduce and fill the earth. When He brought them to Adam to name, there was none like Adam, so God created a woman for Adam so they could marry and make more humans.

In choosing relationships, entering those that build us up is important. Bad company corrupts good morals, and pairing up the wrong two in a marriage or dating relationship can prove miserable. During my teenage years, I had the habit of picking the wrong friends. They bought me down by luring me into actions I knew God didn’t approve. They didn’t enhance my spiritual journey, but hindered it.

We should also build up those we’re in a relationship with. Life’s a two-way street. We can point them to Christ with our words and actions, demonstrate how to live a life where we’re growing spiritually, encourage them, and do practical things to help them become a better person.

We can always do more together than we can apart. Choose relationships that enhance the positive aspects of togetherness and let go of those that bring you down.

Prayer: Father, guide us to healthy relationships.

Tell us some ways you have worked toward unity. 

Tweetable: Have you discovered the power of two? 

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