Author Ken Blanchard said, ‘None of us is as smart as all of us.’ As much as we would like to think that we know it all, if we’re honest, each of us is painfully aware that we have blind spots and areas of inexperience. You’ll have had experiences that others haven’t had; they have had experiences you haven’t had. When you get together, you can harness your joint experience and knowledge. Jesus sent the seventy disciples out in groups of two. Why? 1) For support. ‘Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him.’ 2) For enlightenment. Playwright Ben Jonson said, ‘He that is taught only by himself has a fool for a master.’ 3) For accountability. The pastor of a megachurch introduced the man who travelled with him to his audience, saying, ‘I am vulnerable to temptation, and he is my safeguard.’ You could have heard a pin drop in the crowd! Sometimes we need comfort, and other times we need correction. It takes humility to acknowledge that, and emotional security to put it in place. If we try to do everything alone, without the support of trusted companions and mentors, we’re actually limiting our potential. And if our goal is to compete with and get ahead of others rather than work with them, our future won’t be as good as it could be. Good thinkers understand the power of shared thinking. They understand that when they treasure the thoughts and ideas of others as much as their own, they receive the benefits of shared thinking, and can achieve more together than they ever could on their own. God designed us to live in companionship. The truth is, we need others.
