"Two are better than one...Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him.  And a threefold cord is not quickly broken." Ecclesiastes 4:9, 12, NKJV

It was another one of Colorado's surprise Spring snows.  The mid-70s weather from the days before were a distant memory, and the light rain suddenly converted to steady snow right at the time my two sons and I burst out of the car on a mission to invite neighbors to a church event.  We weren't prepared for the cold, and our team of three quickly turned into a dynamic duo as Jacob ran back to the car.  Wanting to move swiftly, Jadon and I faced a question:  do we individually take invitations to doors on separate sides of the street to minimize the time spent getting snowed on?  No, we concluded.  There's a reason Jesus sent His disciples out two by two.  We plowed ahead...together.  It may have been slower work, but we remained stronger (and safer) together.

strong in the lord, strong in community

When we read in the apostle Paul's counsel to be strong in the Lord and take up the whole armor of God (cf. Eph. 6:10-18), we tend to picture  the Christian life as a single soldier duking things out with the principalities and powers of darkness in solitude.  But the reality is that every one of Paul's imperatives in that passage are grammatically in the plural.  Of course, he is inviting the several Ephesian believers to personally put on the whole armor of God, but more than that I believe he's appealing to believers to suit up not just individually but collectively.   Why?  

Because being strong in the Lord is about WE, not just ME.

Being strong in the Lord is a collective endeavor, not just an individual one.  In fact, it has been suggested that the "Testudo formation" of ancient Roman soldiers likely formed the background for Paul's appeal to "above all" take up the shield of faith (Eph. 6:16).  It comes from the Latin word for "tortoise" and refers to the formation of front line soldiers placing their shields side by side in front of them while those behind them would lift their shields above their heads, thus creating a turtle shell of protection. Sure, we may be able to take up the shield of faith individually, but in the battle against principalities and powers, God invites us to find greater strength in community.

safety and support

The wisest man who ever lived expresses this same reality like this: "two are better than one" (Eccl. 4:9).  The aged Solomon isn't just stating this truism in a vacuum.  He is fully aware that life on earth under the sun isn't always roses and rainbows. Look at the passage in full and take note of the scenarios he describes to underscore the need for supportive community:  getting up after falling, staying warm in the cold, and withstanding attack victoriously (vv. 10-12).  We live in a world in which we trip up, we cool off both physically and spiritually, we are under oppressive threat.  But God-given community keeps us getting back up when we find ourselves stumbling; keeps fanning into flame our spiritual fervor when we drift into spiritual coldness, indifference, or distraction; and keeps us strong in the Lord's victory rather than being overpowered by the enemy.

We each struggle and experience adversity, but God does not call us to a lone-ranger version of Christianity.  

We don't have to pretend that we have it all together while we silently attempt to face our struggles on our own.

If you feel down, cold, or overpowered, I want to encourage you to seek out community.  Don't forsake the assembling of yourself with others (Heb. 10:24-25), but instead prioritize gatherings with spiritual community, set up those long-awaited coffee dates, carve out time for visits with friends who can pray for you and encourage you.  On the flip side, I believe God is urging us to be proactive in bearing each other's burdens (Gal. 6:2).  That friend who just came to mind this morning, that prick in your heart about someone else's pain you just learned of -- those are more than likely a prompting of the Spirit to reach out.  So go ahead, be that much needed community for someone else by lifting those who've fallen, warming those whose love for God has cooled off, and strengthening others to victory in their personal battles.  And as a result, may we all be able to testify with Solomon that truly "two are better than one" (Eccl. 4:9).