Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-10.
There is one body, but it has many parts. But all its many parts make up one body. It is the same with Christ.
1 Corinthians 12:12-27
As our faith in Christ grows, and His heart becomes ours, our passion for the things He cares about will grow over time. That’s a good thing! We should have BIG dreams and pursue God’s call on our life; however, we must be careful not to put the cart before the horse and run alone headlong down the road without ensuring we have the proper character, resources and personnel around to support, guide and hold us accountable.
There are situations in the temporal world where we can get ourselves into some big trouble if we go in fast, and without help. Consider the fireman, who has been skilled and trained in managing fires, search and rescue, and I’m sure a variety of other emergency situations. We can assume he has a measure of courage and selflessness, knowing he is willing to put his own life on the line to help another. He is definitely the person for the job when the task comes up, but what if he arrives first on the scene? Is it wise for him to rush in immediately, or to wait for help? Usually fighting fires is a multiple-person operation requiring a variety of skill sets. Someone usually wields the axe to get through walls and blocked entrances, it usually takes a few hands to maneuver the hose to pump water into the burning building, etc. As brave as it may seem for one strong and tough firefighter to enter a burning home without backup, he can find himself in trouble quickly if he tries to make it a one-man operation. What if he encounters flames he has no hose for? What if when he gets to a child’s bedroom there’s two children to carry out of the house instead on one? Who watches out for the firefighter if he gets lost or disoriented? He can definitely get started more quickly if he jumps right in (and take all the credit for heroism if it happens to go well!) but it is more likely with the obstacles and challenges involved in fighting fires that he will not navigate to the end of the crisis well without help.
This makes sense to us in a situation like this, but as Christians do we always heed this same wisdom when we are trying to tackle issues of a spiritual nature? Do we involve our trusted church community to help us navigate the housefires of our lives? Do we try to be big and brave and face these things on our own? When someone is in need, do we jump right in and try to tackle the issue by ourselves, or do we invite others into the process to make sure a holistic and complete outcome is being met? Sometimes we like to think we have it all together and because we have the Holy Spirit in us (who is complete and perfect in every way) that we can do it all, manage it all, and be a spiritual one-man show. We can’t, we don’t and we aren’t. The moment we try to be that, we dethrone God and put ourselves in His place. It is more likely that since He designed us to be many parts of one body, He will put us into situations that require us to link arms with our church family and gather around ourselves those who are strong where we are weak, have eyes to see where we cannot view, and anointing and gifts we do not have (and sometimes we don’t have them on purpose, for God’s design, so we don’t get too big for our britches!).
Lord, help us to trust and rely on those whom You have surrounded us so that together we are fully equipped to do the work to which You’ve called us.