Even the Lone Ranger Had Tonto

Growing up, one of my favorite television shows was “The Lone Ranger.” Every Saturday morning I’d sit in front of the TV to watch the latest exploits of the masked, mysterious champion of justice. He’d ride into town unannounced, take care of the bad guys, and ride off into the sunset on his trusty white steed, Silver, shouting, “Hi-yo, Silver, away!” 

However, Baby Boomers like me will remember the Lone Ranger wasn’t alone. Somewhere along the way he’d picked up a companion named Tonto, an Indian. (Today, the correct term is native American.) Tonto never had much to say but was always there to help whenever needed. In fact, Tonto had a nickname for the Lone Ranger, “Kemosabe,” one meaning of which is “faithful friend.”

 

One of the challenges in effectively living a life of faith is the temptation to be a “lone ranger” Christian. We might attend church, maybe even read the Bible with some consistency, but don’t have other believers we engage with on a regular basis. We haven’t made a point of developing some “faithful friends” to stand by us.

 

Perhaps this is a product of the pervasive messaging from the “Me Generation,” focusing on individual needs and wants. Or maybe it’s because of our American culture, which has long promoted individualism, a “pull yourself up by your own bootstraps” mentality. Reading the Scriptures, however, we don’t find any endorsement for an independent, ‘I can do it all by myself’ mindset.

 

To the contrary, we see an emphasis on community, providing mutual support and encouragement along the arduous path of what we can call our spiritual journey. For instance, Hebrew 10:24-25 instructs, “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another – and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”

 

Many a one-time zealous believer has been derailed because he or she did not have caring Christian friends to ‘spur them on toward love and good deeds.’ The walk of faith with Jesus Christ is wonderful, but whoever said it’s easy either hadn't been a believer very long or wasn’t being truthful. Because being made new in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17) doesn’t make us immune to the problems, pain and pitfalls of living in a sin-broken world.

 

Another passage speaks of the benefits of not living an isolated life, but rather partnering with others in whatever we’re endeavoring to do: “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 can 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).

 

There’s a lot packed into those verses, but they underscore the power and synergy of teaming up with others in striving to achieve common goals. It includes being able to accomplish far more by working together than operating independently; being available to assist when we stumble along the way – which we’re all prone to do; finding warmth and comfort; and joining in defense against dangers and formidable obstacles. Sometimes pride causes us to want to declare, “I did it my way – without any help,” but there’s great joy and satisfaction in collaborating to achieve something worthwhile.

 

We can find our ‘faithful friends’ in many settings. It could be a small group at church, where we slowly build close, genuine relationships. An accountability group in which members can help one another in atmospheres of trust and mutual concern. A discipling or mentoring relationship that can foster spiritual, personal and/or professional growth. As Proverbs 27:17 points out, “As iron sharpens iron, so one man [person] sharpens another.”

 

When we hear of a prominent Christian leader falling into sin, it’s very likely failure to maintain open, honest, accountable relationships with other believers was a contributing cause. The same is true of once ardent Christ followers who suddenly stop attending church, taking part in opportunities for spiritual growth and support, or even associating with other believers. At some point they decided they could go it alone as ‘lone Christian rangers,’ only to tragically discover that it doesn’t work.

 

The human body is a wondrous machine. It consists of a variety of organs, limbs, bones and other critical elements. When they’re all working together, we’re healthy. But when one or more of them isn’t operating properly, we become ill or diseased. The apostle Paul used the body as a metaphor to underscore how much we need each other.

“The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ…. God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it” (1 Corinthians 12:12-26).

 

The Lord created the human body – and the body of Christ. Both work best when all the members are united in a common purpose, supporting and strengthening one another for the opportunities and challenges of each day. If you find yourself trying to follow Jesus as a ‘lone ranger,’ pray for God to bring at least one ‘Tonto’ who can come alongside you. 

A Grim Reminder of Why We Need Each Other

Social distancing. Up until a couple of months ago, who knew that was even a thing? (Then again, who knew Coronavirus was even a thing?) But here we are, practicing the new virtue of social distancing, at least for the not-too-distant future.

Introverted individuals might not have known the term, but they’ve been cool with social distancing all their lives. So they’re adjusting to the new social norms pretty easily. No crowds? No problem! More people-oriented folks, however, have been discovering anew what “stir crazy” means. Their socializing tanks have become depleted, yet they’re instructed not to be around others who could refill them. Crisis upon crisis!

One of these days the pandemic will have come to an end and, hopefully, we can get back to normal mingling and interacting. But in the meantime, we have a grim, daily reminder of an important principle: We need each other. And it becomes even more evident when precautionary practices like social distancing and self-quarantining are instituted.

The reason for this is simple – it’s how God designed us. Since the dawn of creation, humankind’s need for fellowship has been evident. After deciding, “Let us (the Trinity) make man in our image…” (Genesis 1:26), the Lord ordained for the first man, Adam, to have companions. After creating “all the beasts of the field and all the birds of the air,” He decided having animals around was insufficient. Adam needed a human companion and created the first woman, Eve (Genesis 2:19-23). We might say that was both good news and bad news!

But our need for others goes even further. In 1 Corinthians 12:12-26 we read that just as the human body’s health and proper functioning is dependent upon its various parts working in concert, we as followers of Jesus Christ also need each other:

“The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ…. If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, whether would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be….”

Even as we tolerate social distancing for a while, consciously and subconsciously we realize we are dependent upon each other – even the socially reluctant.

Another passage in the Scriptures underscores the importance of being with others. To grow in our faith, we need to support one another. “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another” (Hebrews 10:24-25). The next verse adds another sobering reminder: “and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” This refers to the promised return of Jesus. 

For the moment – at least as I write this – we’re being admonished to semi-isolate, to avoid gathering in groups where germs from the virus could potentially be passed from one person to another. Before long, we hope, that necessity will have ended and we can again mingle to our hearts’ content. 

But let the lesson be learned about how we really do need one another, not just for how they can benefit us, but also for how we can be of benefit to them. Maybe this reality will make such an impression on us that we can actually get our noses out of our smartphones! We can only hope.

Let’s Not Give Up Meeting Together

How many times have you heard someone say, “You don’t have to go to church to be a Christian (or, a follower of Jesus).” Maybe you’ve said or thought this yourself occasionally. I have. A few times I’ve gotten frustrated about something and told myself, “Who needs church? I have my Bible, and I can pray and talk to God any time I choose to do so. You don’t have to go to a place of worship to do that!”

To a degree this is true, but in the words of the sage college football commentator Lee Corso, “Not so fast, my friend!”

Years ago I knew a strong believer who pointedly stated he didn’t attend church. He felt it gave him more credibility with non-believers – he could better relate to people with little or no church affiliation. Since he had no denominational axes to grind, he believed not-yet followers of Christ would feel more comfortable discussing spiritual matters with him.

My friend did regularly attract non-believers, able to vividly recall the days when he was among them. Declaring he didn’t attend church services regularly deflected accusations that he was “religious.” This man truly loved the Lord, studied the Scriptures diligently, and saw God bring many people to faith.

And yet, while this individual wasn’t connected to a specific congregation or denomination, he had many Christian friends with whom he interacted throughout each week. He didn’t “go to church” – a house of worship – most Sunday mornings, but was surrounded by strong believers to support him in his faith. 

Someone like this, however, is rare. Most of us, left to our own devices, won’t take the initiative to seek out other followers of Jesus without some kind of structured, formalized way to do so. This is one reason, I suspect, once-fervent believers fall away from the faith, becoming ineffective as Christ’s disciples or even abandoning their faith. Trying to sustain their faith in isolation, they find it’s very difficult to do. 

To illustrate the importance of remaining connected to other Christ followers, the apostle Paul used the metaphor of the human body: “The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts, and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ…. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it” (1 Corinthians 12:12-31). The passage then proceeds to cite some of the gifts and responsibilities assigned to people within Christ’s church, showing how they should work together.

Just as my heart needs my lungs, brain, liver and other organs to continue to function and remain healthy, we can’t be faithful, fruitful Christians apart from the body of Christ: fellow believers with whom we spend time in a consistent, meaningful way. 

I came across a somewhat humorous, but accurate anonymous quote about this: “Sure you can be a Christian and not go to church. Kind of like a zebra separated from his herd getting eaten by cheetahs is still a zebra.” It’s not just unhealthy to fail to pursue time with fellow believers regularly; it’s dangerous.

Hebrews 10:23-25 sums this up so well: “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another – and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”

This “Day” refers to the Second Coming of Christ. No one knows the day or the hour when He will return, but the Scriptures assure us that He will. We’re certainly one day closer to it than we were yesterday, and some authorities on the “end times” assert that biblical prophecies about Christ’s imminent return are being fulfilled during our times.

So as the passage from Hebrews admonishes us, let’s cling to our hope, endeavor to spur one another on to live in Christ-honoring ways, and seek to encourage one another even in the face of news and events that seem very discouraging. And we can do this best as we assemble together regularly.

Got Spurs? Let Them Jingle, Jangle, Jingle

Pardon me for showing my age, but I’m reflecting on the “good old days” when I reveled in the Saturday morning cowboy shows on TV – in living black and white, no less. Characters like Roy Rogers, Gene Autry, Hopalong Cassidy, and Wild Bill Hickok. They were the good guys, always standing up (or riding) for justice and what’s right.

They could shoot their pistols with uncanny accuracy from horses in full gallop, never lost their hats in pursuit, and were nothing but gentlemen around the ladies. What I remember in particular are spurs, those metallic accessories to their boots used for prodding their trusty steeds faster when the bad guys seemed about to get away. I’m not certain, but it seems I had a set of toy spurs myself when I was a boy for my cowboy-and-Indian play days.

I’ve never used spurs on a horse. Actually, I’ve never spent much time on a horse; I like looking at them, but never felt safe sitting atop one of them. But from what I understand, those spurs were handy for getting the animals moving and keeping them going in the proper direction. 

Did you know the Bible has a bit to say about spurs? Not in the rootin’, tootin’ cowboy sense. But right there in Hebrews 10:24 it says, “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.” I don’t recall any other reference telling us that Jesus, or the apostles, or even the prophets had literal spurs attached to their sandals. Nevertheless, this term is aptly used.

This thing we call “the Christian life” isn’t easy. At times we’re coasting along on some spiritual high, feeling like we can handle any obstacles we confront. But other times, especially during uninspiring doldrum moments, it’s harder to keep going. Those are the times when we can use a little “spurring on” for continuing what God has called us to do.

The image of championship sports teams comes to mind. They have talented players, usually more than one at each position, who engage in spirited, healthy competition. These athletes challenge one another, but also support one another, rejoicing in one another’s success. Probably without being consciously aware of it, they’re spurring one another on toward higher levels of achievement and success.

That’s what we should be doing as followers of Jesus. As the next verse in Hebrews admonishes, “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another” (Hebrews 10:25).

Elsewhere in the Scriptures we find acknowledgements that the our trek through life can sometimes be tough, slow sledding. Galatians 6:9 cautions, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” I suspect we’ve all experienced a bit of fatigue in well-doing, wondering if we can continue – or if what we’re doing is really accomplishing anything.

We find a similar exhortation in 1 Corinthians 15:58, “Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” Reading this in the Word of God is a great reminder. Our expressions of similar sentiments to one another can be as well. A few words of timely encouragement never hurt.

The old cowboy song went, “I got spurs that jingle, jangle, jingle.” When we encounter a brother or sister in Christ who seems to be dragging, whether weary from expended efforts or simply discouraged, it’s time to spur them on, urging them to continue in their pursuit of love and good deeds. Let’s keep our “spurs” jingling, and jangling! 

Social Media, or ANTI-Social Media?

Once upon a time in a land far, far away, families gathered around campfires, wood stoves, or in gas-lighted parlors to talk, share stories, or recapture family memories. Or they congregated at a dinner table, not only to eat but also to converse. They’d ask mundane questions like, “How was your day?” – and actually wanted to hear the answer.

Then devices called radios were invented, becoming centers of attention as mother, father and children – and even extended family – would join in a living room or kitchen to listen to the news, comedies, dramas, and suspense shows. Sound effects incorporated into programming flung imaginations into many directions.

Next came the television, at first having a grand total of three stations for most users. Because program selections were limited each evening, parents and offspring again convened to laugh together, share shivers during mysteries and thrillers, and sing along to musical variety shows.

Are we in danger of becoming, as
Gary Turk suggests, "a generation
of idiots, smartphones and
dumb people"?

With the advent of cable TV, programming choices exploded in number, and in most homes TVs multiplied so each family member could view the show of their own choice. No need any longer to huddle together, to laugh or cry together. Uniting around entertainment became so old-fashioned, and now, so-20th century.

Today we don’t even need individual TVs. We have tablets and smartphones with live-streaming, along with a vast menu of movies, online-only programs, apps, and videos – myriad alternatives for grabbing and holding onto our attention. Even email has become outdated for some, replaced by texting and social media. Who needs to talk to one another, to gaze intently into someone else’s eyes – and listen? If we do feel the need to look, there’s always Skype or FaceTime.

Intentionally or not, we’re increasingly dispensing with the bother of real, physical human contact. Even in shopping malls, restaurants, or meeting rooms, noses are buried in technological gadgets that spare us the annoyance of having to take part in direct, personal, face-to-face interaction.

This point is well-presented in “Look Up,” a clever video produced by Gary Turk, a viral filmmaker and speaker from London, England, and posted on Viral Thread. In a slow-paced rhyme, he starts by declaring, “I have 422 friends, and yet I am lonely.” Then he adds, “this media we call social is anything but…. We’re at our most happy with an experience we share, but is it the same if no one is there?”

It seems, if anything, our “social media” has turned into anti-social media, encouraging isolation and diminishing our capacities to engage and reason with and care for one another. We’ve all seen car bumper stickers that read, “Co-Exist,” but how can we do that alone, in solitary settings?

This is why one of the underlying precepts of the Bible is the idea of genuine relationships – God’s desire to have a relationship with each of us, individually and collectively, and the value of our relationships with one another.

It’s been like that from the start. After creating the first human, God declared, “It is not good for man to be alone” (Genesis 2:18). The Lord then fashioned “a helper suitable for him,” woman. Nothing suggests God’s reasoning was, “Well, Adam needs someone he can text.”

After first sending out His 12 disciples, Jesus then “appointed 72 others and sent them out two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go” (Luke 10:1). He instructed them not to take even a purse or bag or sandals, and definitely didn’t command them to bring smartphones.

Writing to his young protégé, Timothy, the apostle Paul said, “And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others” (2 Timothy 2:2). Addressing believers in the city of Philippi, Paul wrote, “Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me – put it into practice” (Philippians 4:9). In both cases, truth, principles and practices were taught in the context of close, highly interactive relationships.

The writer of the book of Hebrews also underscored the importance of “hanging out” together, communicating in meaningful ways. “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another” (Hebrews 10:24-25).

I’m not advocating a boycott of social media, or refusing to utilize the advantages of email and texting. But when they transform into anti-social media, inhibiting us from appreciating and enjoying real time with real people – preferring tweets, icons and emojis over eye contact and real smiles – then maybe it’s time for social mediation.

Let’s not become, as Turk warns, “a generation of idiots, smartphones and dumb people.” After all, as he notes, “when you’re too busy looking down, you don’t see the chances you miss.”

Never Underestimate Teamwork

Teamwork is important to a marching band's excellence, just
as it is for a football team, on the gridiron.

One of the best things about competitive sports, especially team sports, is observing how principles that contribute to athletic success also relate to everyday life. Athletes in sports like golf or tennis are basically on their own, vying for victory one-on-one. But in most other sports, the team dynamic is an integral part of what Wide World of Sports used to call “the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat.”

Taylor Decker, an All-American offensive tackle at the Ohio State University, emphasized this in explaining why he chose to return for his senior year and helped the Buckeyes to another very successful season. He could have left after his junior season and taken his talents to the National Football League but opted to complete his last year of collegiate eligibility.

“A huge reason I came back (was) for that brotherhood, that camaraderie in the locker room,” Decker said. “That’s what makes it fun. Because workouts aren’t really fun, and practice isn’t really fun, but doing it with your guys, doing it with people you love, that’s what makes it fun.”

These key ingredients for effective teamwork – camaraderie, mutual support, and merging of complementary skills – are crucial to a winning effort, not only on the gridiron, basketball court, baseball diamond and soccer field, but also in the business world, the military, music, even in marriage and parenting.

Living in the age of the “selfie,” when many people seem preoccupied with themselves, we’re at risk of devaluing the importance of teamwork. Everyone seems to be screaming, “Look at me!” Few are saying, “Look at us.” But in reality, living and working in isolation can limit us in more ways than one.

The Old Testament book of Ecclesiastes addresses this powerfully. It states, “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work” (Ecclesiastes 4:9). Watching a football game, we see this demonstrated as offensive linemen join together to open holes for running backs and to protect the quarterback. But we also see it every day in our own lives.

My first job in journalism was serving as editor of a small community newspaper. I was the entire editorial staff, the proverbial “cook and bottle washer.” I did everything from covering city government and school board meetings to writing wedding announcements and obituaries. It was an excellent learning experience, but I felt relieved several years later when the publisher agreed to let me hire an assistant to share the load.

As a father, it’s been my joy and privilege to team with my wife in raising our children and now, pitching in to help with the grandkids from time to time. That’s one reason I so admire the resolve of single parents, striving by themselves to do the job of parenting that’s best done by mom and dad together.

The biblical passage continues, “If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up” (Ecclesiastes 4:10). We often see this in action on the football field, when a player is tackled or knocked down and a teammate extends a hand to help him back to his feet. But daily life also has a way of knocking us down, too, and it’s encouraging when a “teammate” – whether at work or in the home – offers a hand to help us back up.

A final portion of the Ecclesiastes passage relates to the gridiron, but I’ve experienced it many times and in many ways during my own life: “Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken” (Ecclesiastes 4:12). This is one of the values of business partnerships. The principals not only share in the financial investment, but also team together to overcome obstacles, combat adversity, and share their respective talents and gifts in the pursuit of common goals and objectives.

This principle holds true spiritually as well. As Hebrews 10:24-25 admonishes us, “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another….”

Another new year is bearing down on us, and some of us will be setting goals or resolutions to grow spiritually and become more effective ambassadors for Jesus Christ. We’d be wise to recognize this can’t be done in a vacuum, that as we see throughout the Scriptures, spiritual growth and service to the Lord also is a “team sport.”

Who are you going to team with in 2016 to become all you can be for God?

Going Fast . . . Or Far?

The late Frank Sinatra sang many famous songs during his more than 60-year career as an entertainer, but one of the most memorable is “My Way,” which he released in 1969. Today, more than four decades later, it seems many people embrace “I did it my way” as their personal motto.

There’s a lot to be said about individual achievement – the resolve, determination, perseverance and single-mindedness often involved in attaining lofty goals and aspirations. In a sense, the Declaration of Independence set the stage for this philosophy when the leaders of 13 colonies agreed in 1776 it was time to “do it their way,” apart from England, by forming the United States.

But there also are limitations to individual initiative. I was reminded of this while viewing the film, “The Good Lie,” the story of a small group of Sudanese refugees who fled tyranny in their homeland and ultimately found a new home for themselves in Kansas City, Mo. At the conclusion of the movie, an African proverb was displayed that well-summarized their amazing pilgrimage:

“If you want to go fast, go alone.

If you want to go far, go together.”

In sports, and much of life, we can achieve much
more together than we can on our own.

We see the truth of this adage exhibited in every area of endeavor. Where would comedian Bud Abbott have been without his sidekick, Lou Costello? What would Orville Wright have accomplished without the aid of his brother, Wilbur? Working out of a one-car garage, William Hewlett and David Packard teamed with others to form a company, Hewlett-Packard, that one day would become the world’s leader in manufacturing personal computers.

In track and field, we see sprinters competing on their own, but usually in longer events, groups of runners compete together, sometimes as teams. We see stock car drivers maneuvering their cars at high speeds on their own, but if you’re traveling on a commercial jet from coast to coast, you want a crew of people in the cockpit.

We may never achieve the notoriety of famous entertainers, athletes or entrepreneurs, but we’d all be wise to approach life from a “we did it our way” perspective than the standoffish “my way.” This truth is expressed repeatedly throughout the Bible, a clear warning against going it alone, urging us instead to seek support, encouragement and strength from one another.

Proverbs 27:17 declares, “As iron sharpens iron, so one man (woman) sharpens another.” In another of the so-called “wisdom books,” King Solomon of Israel observes,

“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!... Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken” (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12).

Ironically, it was when they failed to heed this advice that Solomon and his father, King David, suffered their greatest failures.

The spiritual life, I’ve discovered, also proves the “go fast, go alone…go far, go together” principle. People make professions of faith and appear to be making rapid progress spiritually, but because they don't connect with other believers, their growth eventually stagnates and over time they disappear from the scene entirely.

This is one reason we’re admonished, “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another…” (Hebrews 10:24-25).

The Bible describes those who follow Jesus Christ as the “body of believers” – “you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it” (1 Corinthians 12:27). Just as even healthy human organs will die apart from the body, the most determined, well-intentioned believers will flounder without consistent fellowship with other devoted followers of Christ.

So if your goal personally, professionally or spiritually is simply to go fast, you can try going on your own. But if you want to go far, enduring for the long haul, going together with others is the better plan.