Thursday, May 27, 2021

TWO BY TWO



 







And he called to him the twelve, and began to send them out two by two.... (Mark 6:7)

The power of two is an amazing thing. Have you ever noticed how much more you can accomplish when you have someone to help you do something -- make a bed, work on a project or brainstorm an idea?

Recently, I experienced this with my son Aaron. Our bed was in disarray: a new bedsheet had to be fitted onto it and clean pillowcases on the pillows. When I asked him to do it by himself, he was reluctant as our mattress is very heavy. So I helped him and the work was done neatly and quickly and we bonded in the process. 

God has created us humans to work together, not alone. From the very beginning of time, we see that in the story of creation. Man was alone so God created woman to be his companion and helper. 

In the New Testament, in the gospel of Mark, chapter 6, we see Jesus commissioning his disciples to go ahead of him to preach and heal. They were sent two by two. In fact, in Luke's account, they seem to be paired thus: Simon and Andrew, James and John, Philip and Bartholomew, Thomas and Mathew, James and Thaddeus, Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot. 

By sending them out two by two, Jesus was probably adhering to the Old Testament requirement that for any verdict to be given, the witness of two or three persons was needed. (Deuteronomy 17:6)

Another reason could be that, if either member of the pair experienced difficulty, the disciple accompanying him could either assist him personally, or else get outside help.

Jesus even sent two disciples to untie the colt and bring it back to Him.(Luke 19:30) When the disciples were not divided up into pairs, then they were often sent out in groups, so they were always able to strengthen and encourage each other.

Scripture also says that where there are two or more gathered in His name, then Jesus is there in their midst. (Mathew 18:20)

God's presence dwells most powerfully in the midst of two or more, as the scripture says in Ecclesiastes, "A threefold cord cannot be quickly broken." 

So, we are not called to be "Lone Ranger" Christians, but instead we are called to be members of a Body. We cannot function properly on our own; we are called to work together in harmony.

In the world, no one achieves any kind of success in any area of life alone. Every successful person has sought the advice and encouragement of others. Successful people vouch for this fact and always give credit to their mentors and fellow workers. Some even praise their spouses for their unstinted efforts in supporting them on their journey. 

In the olden days, when a young man had to learn a trade, he would apprentice under a master craftsman. Sometimes that would be his own father. The two of them formed a deep friendship as a result of their work together. Under the guidance of the mentor, the young man would learn firsthand about his strengths and weaknesses. He would be motivated when he was discouraged, corrected when wrong, appreciated when he mastered a skill of the trade. 

In a marriage too, this relationship of comradeship, support and encouragement can be seen between a husband and wife who seek the good of each other at all times. They move through life in tandem. They pray together, they play together and they work on a mission together.

Couples are also commissioned to go out, two by two. We see this beautifully in the lives of Aquila and Priscilla, a couple whom St. Paul stayed with when he was in Corinth. They lived, worked, and traveled with him and are  described as his "fellow workers in Christ Jesus".


Deep friendship between people can often become a launching pad for ministry. Two minds that think alike, two hearts that understand the world in the same way, two souls that seek to serve God wholly can ignite a tiny spark in their corner of the universe and watch the flames rise high, lighting up the sky.  

May we all have such kind of relationships, the two-by-two kind. 

 




 


























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