Discover the Power of Two: A Call to Significance

By Amanda Rankin
Guest Columnist

CBN.com --

Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12).

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, put in a fence post, or brainstorm an idea? We were created by God to work together, not alone in a vacuum.

We are accountable for what we do with our lives. But our lives are part of a great, more wonderful whole than just ourselves. In his book, Live Your Dreams, Les Brown says, "You have a lot to give. The fact that you are still on this planet means that your business is NOT DONE!"

Each of us is called to significance. You were created with a purpose, and it is up to you to find out what it is and fulfill the destiny that was planted in you at birth. You were made special. Unique! There's only one of you. Your personality, the family that you were born into, the talents that you have they were all given to you so you could do something GREAT with them!

I know, I know I hear you saying "MY family? MY personality? WHAT talents?" I felt the same way when I first heard that, but as I've stretched and grown, I've realized that it is true. If you were given bad circumstances or a way-out personality (remember, I'm the example of an extreme, out-of-control personality), then you were given the hidden resources to overcome them. But you may need someone to walk beside you and give you encouragement and keep you on track in order to find and call upon those resources. (I couldn't do it alone, either.) You CAN do it!

Something has happened to relationships in this fast-paced society that we live in. Years ago, we learned our craft or skill from someone who had the necessary knowledge and passed it on to us. We had close contact with our mentor as we were taught valuable skills. Often, a parent or relative mentored a child; other times, the child was sent off to live with the scholar or whoever was to be their teacher.

Nowadays, most parents work outside of the home, and the important tradition of the mentor and protege has mostly been forgotten. We have learned to operate on our own, calling it independence, or "doing our own thing." Unfortunately, it may leave us bereft of the skills that were passed on for generations before us. As a result, we have lost the secret of the unique empowerment that can be received when we work alongside someone else.

It is interesting to note that Jesus sent His apostles out "two by two." Throughout the New Testament we see how the apostles functioned -- they were never alone! When Jesus sent them out to be witnesses, they were sent "two by two." Jesus even sent two disciples to untie the colt and bring it back to Him. 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 He is there in their midst. His presence is resident most powerfully in the midst of two or more, as the scripture says in Ecclesiastes, "A threefold cord cannot be quickly broken." We are not called to be "Lone Ranger" Christians, but instead we are called to be members of a Body. Although the various parts of our body may have independent functions, every one still relies on the others in order to work successfully. We cannot function properly on our own; we are called to work together in harmony.

I have been studying the reasons for people's success for over 15 years, and I have found that no one achieves any kind of success in any area of life alone. Every successful person has sought the advice and encouragement of others. It just can't be done any other way! Scott DeGarmo was Editor-in-Chief of Success Magazine for many years, and he is now the editor of his own magazine called House of Business. He has interviewed thousands of successful business people, and he told me that the people he has interviewed have always sought out the help and advice of those who have gone before them in their fields of work.

As Zig Ziglar has so often said, "You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help enough people get what they want." It works both ways! People need people!

After many years of study, I had all the head knowledge that I needed to achieve success; however, I still couldn't pull it off by myself. I still couldn't stop procrastinating or push through my fears of failure. I continued to live my life through all of those "tomorrows." "Tomorrow" I'll do this; "tomorrow" I'll do that. But it was all wishful thinking and dreams. Tomorrow never came because I never had control of TODAY!

It wasn't until I found a coach that I finally got control of my life. He stood by me and forced me (in a nice way) to become accountable to myself. That is when I began to understand the power of two. It wasn't until I started living out my dreams that I began to have a feeling of significance. Once I had someone to be accountable to, I could start focusing on my strengths and work to overcome my weaknesses. After accomplishing some of these goals, I was finally able to reach out to others and help them overcome what I had struggled with for so long. (And that is when you will finally begin to feel whole and in control and at peace with the world!)

You must understand that it didn't happen overnight! In today's world, we have become so used to instant rewards. Microwave ovens, fast foods, e-mail, and flashing commercials have fooled us into thinking that life's rewards appear instantaneously. But they don't! That's why you need an accountability partner -- Buddy Coach -- to stand with you when you become discouraged or distracted. And you can do the same for them.

As you begin to work through this book, start thinking of someone who could be your Buddy Coach. Who is a good and positive influence in your life? It should be someone who brings out the best in you -- a friend or a co-worker, perhaps. You could even start a circle of friends who get together to encourage one another (although if you get too many people, it will take too long to counsel each other, and that may discourage you from continuing). How about a Bible study that incorporates the Buddy Coaching concept? As you take your personality test and begin to understand yourself and others, it may help you to decide who you want to be your Buddy Coach.

Get ready to have an exciting time as you explore through this book and discover things about yourself that you never knew before!

Winners evaluate themselves in a positive manner and look for their strengths as they work to overcome their weaknesses. -- Zig Ziglar

We pray that our God may count you worthy of His calling, and that by His power He may fulfill every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith (II Thessalonians 1:11).

May God Himself, the God who makes everything holy and whole, make you holy and whole, put you together -- spirit, soul and body -- and keep you fit for the coming of our Master, Jesus Christ. The One who called you is completely dependable. If He said He'll do it, He'll do it! (I Thessalonians 5:23).

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