Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.
Ecclesiastes 4:9 KJV
The words of this book are written by king Solomon, a man God blessed with wisdom as well as riches. I believe this king knew the importance of God, even if he did not fully understand how to approach or serve him. We may never know the motives of Solomon for offering all the sacrifices he made at the dedication of the temple, but we know that God met him and charged him to remain faithful. That is God: no matter how you come to him, he takes away the baggage and lays on your heart a burden to know more about him, if you would let him. He won't force himself on you, but if you let him, you will learn the benefits and blessings of a thriving relationship with God.
This is the fulcrum too on which today's extract can be understood. It would appear from the accounts of God's dealings with man that as powerful as He is, he needs man to cooperate with him so he can achieve his plan and purpose. It is also clear that God never created us to go it alone or to live on an island. That is why it takes the union of a man and a woman to produce another person like themselves in the natural way. Nobody falls from the sky; we were all born into a family or can trace our origins into a family. That is the unique aspect of human life that God has settled, and as much as man tries to change the script, there is little he can do to change God's order. You can fake it, but if it is not the real deal, it is not the original.
Think of the mighty things God has achieved through the power of the family unit. It was Abraham's obedience that brought him both a family blessing as well as a generational blessing. Even if God starts with only one man, it is always his intention that the man and his family will catch the dream and pursue after this divine purpose. All the stories of mighty miracles may have started with one man's personal walk with God, but it did not end that way. If that is the way God deals, it would be my greatest blessing to tap into that knowledge so I can access the full measure of God's grace.
Two are indeed better than one. God seeks cooperation with man so he can achieve his purpose on earth. God never gives a man a gift that is for the man alone, not to be shared with any other man. God does not run a secret cult where his gifts are also for one man or a select few; his gifts are for the whole world, but deposited in the lives of individuals. The gifts of the Spirit are personal to those who get them, but their effect and impact can only be seen when they are applied for the benefit of other people.
Now this is the sobering balance: just as it works for good purposes, so does it work for bad purposes too. Recall the story of the Tower of Babel, when men wanted to make a name for themselves, not caring what God thought. God recognised the power behind their resolve and the only way he could defeat their labour was to take away their expected reward. If they could no longer hear each other, how would they be able to make a name for themselves? Herein is the warning: before I quote this passage, I had better be sure that my labour lines up with what God is sure to bless. The fact that I have formed a perfect union with someone else does not guarantee success; I must make sure that whatever it is I pursue is that which has God's backing. Why would I labour for that which has no reward from God? Is man's reward the peak I seek for myself, or should I not labour after divine reward, the type that announced Solomon to the world, that even till today, his wealth and knowledge can't be beaten?
If it is good reward I seek, I must make sure that the two or more that I seek to put together are also good. I can't sow bad seed and demand good fruit. I can't seek to do evil and expect good in return. When you read this verse: "Though hand join in hand, the wicked shall not be unpunished: but the seed of the righteous shall be delivered. Proverbs 11:21 KJV, you know very clearly that it is not enough to just work and labour. You must work in a way that you are sure that the expected reward is such that you will enjoy eating. One sure way you can be sure is to ensure that God reigns in your heart and directs your life. Don't settle for the lie of the devil that the end justifies the means. If God sits on the throne of your heart, he will direct your labour into a good end. He will guarantee you a good reward. He will raise up good people who you can labour with to get that good reward. Does God own and hold your heart now? Is he in charge? God's time of favour is here.
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