Two Are Better Than One

"Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labour. ¹⁰ For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he has no one to help him up."

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

During last week at Camp Kedron, I had the rare task (for me, anyway!) to prepare for, light, and maintain a campfire during two evening activities.  I don't have a fireplace at home and can't remember the last time I actually went camping so it was a fun challenge.  The success of dinner one night and sharing testimonies about how Jesus has saved and is working in our lives depended in part to my preparation and timely stoking of the fire.  The first night a fellow leader, campers, and I was able to gather enough sticks for kindling and wood for the fire.  During the men's night, all the male campers brought a can of food and we mixed it all together and cooked the "bivouac" (affectionately called by some "the biv") in a large pot suspended by wire from a long pole heated to boiling over an open flame.

The next day I was faced with a dilemma.  We had plenty of wood from gum trees gathered the previous day for the fire, but it was in large, uncut boughs.  All the large pieces of wood needed to be cut down to a manageable size, but finding a saw in the shed up to the task proved to be a challenge.  Had the wood been wet it would have been much easier, but some of the fallen branches were extremely dense and hard.  I was able to find a couple of pruning saws, but as I suspected the blades were far too flimsy.  Then I found an old rusty handsaw, but it too was useless to cut the wood.  It cut through bark easy enough, but the teeth were dull and the rust made pulling the saw through the wood impossible.

When I first poked my head into the tool shed, I saw a large two-man saw.  Because I was the only one working on preparing firewood for the evening, I didn't see it as a viable option.  But time was beginning to run short.  So I pulled the antique-looking saw from the tool shed and asked a fellow worker to help me.  It took us a few minutes to figure out the best way to position the limbs for cutting, but progress was being made.  About halfway into the process the saw bound right when I was pushing and injured a spot on my palm.  I could see the blood pooling under the surface, so I used my other hand to push and pull.  After about half an hour of coordinated pushing and pulling in unison the work was nicely done, and I am glad to say we had wood left over at the end of the night.

It occurred to me how we can approach our labours for the LORD in ministry in a similar way to how initially I went about cutting firewood.  We feel with the LORD alone we are sufficient to accomplish the work He has called us to do.  But the fact is, to do some work we not only need the right tool but other people united with us as well.  I could have tried using the big saw by myself, and perhaps the work would have been done in time.  Yet the saw was designed for two to handle big jobs, and with my partner the work was easily done.  As I looked at my injured hand after the work was done, it occurred to me that many pastors and leaders can be hurt in ministry.  A flawed response of mine would be to point to my injury and say, "Next time, I'm not going to ask for help.  I will do it myself."  If I could have used the two-man saw myself, who is to say my hand would not have been more damaged by the end?  I would rather sustain an injury and have the work finished than injure myself trying to do it myself and never complete the work.  In my case, I was only able to do the work with help and though I sustained an injury in the process, I could smile with a job well done.  Two are better than one.  When I dropped the saw because of the pain, my friend held the saw and asked if I was alright.  I wouldn't have been able to receive such care, support, and encouragement if I was alone.

If we want to work in unity with God, then we must be willing to take risks in labouring with others.  I am not suggesting we be cavalier, foolish, or irresponsible, but there are those among us who tend to take on more than we should because we feel comfortable with an illusion of control.  We want our firewood cut just so, and God help us if someone does things differently or questions what we are doing.  In our walk with Jesus there will be pains, difficulties, and injuries along the way, but it is important we do not allow these to deceive us to think it wise to push others away.  We must trust God has called us, and that He has provided the tools and people necessary to accomplish the work before us.  My eyes fell upon that saw at the very beginning, but I ignored it because it looked old and required two people.  It very well may be there are people serving alongside you who are perfect assistants for the work God has called you to do, but because they seem busy or some other hollow reason you have looked elsewhere.  I was looking for a power tool with a sharp blade, but the antique saw is what was needed on that day.  We all want perennial All-Stars on our team, yet it is the unified team of hard workers nobody has heard of but plays best together who wins the big game.

If I needed help to cut a few dry limbs from a tree, don't you suppose we servants of Christ also need help from others to accomplish great works for God?