2>1

2 is greater than 1. It’s simple math. It’s straightforward, clear-cut, and easy. Yet so many of us miss it. We think it’s only math, not life. We think it’s just numbers, not people. But we’re wrong.

In Ecclesiastes 4:9-12, God gives us his equation for spiritual strength.

9 Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: 10 If one falls down,his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! 11 Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? 12 Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

Sometimes we opt to operate independently. We think 2 can be crowded, complicated, and uncomfortable. We’d rather go it alone than get hurt, than get help… than get real. One is all we have time for anyway.

But God says 2 is better. In fact 2 is more than double.

Have you ever had a companion like this – a complement – in your life? Someone who brings the realization of Ecclesiastes 4? They aren’t a copy of you. They don’t just stand there cheering your every move – laughing at every joke, echoing every complaint, or agreeing with every word. Instead, they challenge you. They shed the light of truth, and they share the joy of hope. They offer something you didn’t already have, something that makes 2 greater than 1, something that makes 2 more than twice as much as 1. When we form a team, - 2 different parts uniting for 1 single purpose - we reap the benefits of spiritual strength, eternal success, and even physical “warmness” (see verse 11). We travel together. We add our strength to each other’s lives. We add our love. And we multiply the results.

Thank God today for your other “half.” Thank Him for His “mathematical” wisdom, and thank Him for His part in the cord that is not quickly broken.

Happy Valentine’s Day!