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. 

It Takes Two to Tango – and Many Other Things

Our society places a high premium on individuality and independence. We’ve had the “Me Generation”; slogans like “be true to yourself” and “look out for No. 1”; and a popular old-time cowboy TV show called “The Lone Ranger.” Hooray for Numero Uno, right?

However, many people have discovered that going solo isn’t everything it’s purported to be. The life of a hermit can be a lonely existence. Even the 1960s British pop band called Herman’s Hermits consisted of five “hermits.”

 

Back in 1969, a rock group called “Three Dog Night” recorded a hit tune called, “One.” But its lyrics didn’t exalt the virtues of oneness. See for yourself:

“One is the loneliest number that you’ll ever do

Two can be as bad as one

It’s the loneliest number since the number one….

 

‘Cause one is the loneliest number that you’ll ever do

One is the loneliest number…worse than two.”

 

Kind of a mournful message, but it seems to be reminding us that if you want to get the best out of life, don’t try doing it on your own. Long before “One” hit the airwaves, a very different song by jazz musician Louis Armstrong called “It Takes Two to Tango” agreed. Its lyrics observed:

“You can sail on a ship by yourself

Take a nap or a nip by yourself

You can get into debt on your own.

There’s a lot of things that you can do alone!  

 

But…Takes two to tango, two to tango

Two to really get the feeling of romance…do the dance of love.”

 

Indeed, we need two to accomplish many things. Take sports, for example. You can go fishing by yourself, yes. And you can play golf alone, but where’s the fun in that – unless you enjoy rewarding yourself with multiple mulligans? Try playing tennis, ping-pong or pickleball without a partner.

 

Some people seem to enjoy dining alone, but eating out usually is more enjoyable when it’s a shared experience. When traveling, the sights seem more enjoyable with someone else. An exception might be riding with a chronic ‘backseat driver,’ who thinks a car should have two steering wheels and two brake pedals. But that’s a different matter.

 

In the workplace, some things can be accomplished successfully alone, but in most cases, more can be done with two or more people collaborating. They can pool their collective talents and resources, bounce ideas off one another, see problems from different perspectives, encourage and challenge one another.

 

Most of all, during difficult times, two or more people can provide needed support that one person might lack. As the Old Testament says, “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?... A cord of three strands is not quickly broken” (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12).

 

Then there’s the value of ‘creative friction,’ working past disagreements to arrive at solutions that individual members of a team might not have discovered on their own. I’ve always appreciated Proverbs 27:17, which says, “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” I’ve seen this principle in action not only vocationally but also spiritually.

 

We should never forget the last thing Jesus Christ told His followers before He ascended to heaven after His resurrection. He said, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19-20).

 

Out of His small band of followers who spent time with Him 24/7 for three years, Jesus wanted to see multitudes of disciples – growing, learning and reproducing believers who would turn the world upside down. This indeed has happened, but it wasn’t an individual pursuit then – and it’s not now. 

 

Although we all are uniquely created by God, He has always intended for us to function together as the “body of Christ.” As the apostle Paul told believers in first-century Corinth, “Now the body is not made up of one part but of many…. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it” (1 Corinthians 12:12-27).

There’s a lot more to that passage, but the point is we’re not here to live for ourselves. We’re here first of all to honor and serve God, and second, to join with other devoted followers of Christ to be and to share His Good News to a lost world that desperately needs to know about it. 

No Job for the Lone Ranger

The U.S.A. was founded with a healthy dose of “can do.” Pilgrims sailing across the ocean. Venturesome pioneers exploring the horizon to the West, discovering territories previously unseen by non-native Americans. During the Industrial Revolution, enterprising entrepreneurs embodying the virtues of “pulling yourself up by your own bootstraps.”

The Lone Ranger and Tonto,
a team of the 1950s.

Yes, we’ve prided ourselves in our self-sufficiency. From 1952 to 1954, TV even offered a “poster child” for this independent attitude: “The Lone Ranger.” The mysterious masked man would ride into town on his white horse, Silver, accompanied by his faithful companion, Tonto, and discern what problems were plaguing the local citizenry. He’d deftly dispose of the bad guys and then, without fanfare, ride off into the sunset with a mighty “Hi-yo, Silver, away!”

The local folks were left behind, scratching their heads and wondering, “Who was that masked man?”

In July, we’ll get a fresh look when a new “Lone Ranger” movie premieres, starring Armie Hammer and Johnny Depp. I have a suspicion “ke-mo sah-bee” will never be the same!

American culture being as strong as it is, this lone ranger mindset infiltrated every aspect of daily life, including spirituality. For decades churches have produced “lone ranger” believers showing up from time to time for worship services, professing to be devout in their faith, but having little ongoing connection with other followers of Jesus Christ.

This is not how the so-called “Christian life” is to be lived.

In John 15:5, Jesus declared, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” Paul the apostle affirmed that when he said, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13).

A major distinction between Christianity and other belief systems is that through His Spirit, God can empower believers to live as He calls them to live.

But there’s another dimension to this reality. Jesus’ followers aren’t to live in isolation – they need one another. Many passages underscore the importance of strength in numbers.

For instance, Proverbs 27:17 states, “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” And Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 points out, “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!... A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.”

The apostle Paul also offered a model for carrying out Christ’s Great Commission to “make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19). Paul instructed Timothy, the man he was mentoring, “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).

Have you ever wondered, with various studies showing a large portion of Americans believe in God and the Bible, even claiming to be followers of Christ, why is our nation in such moral and ethical chaos?

That question has no simple answers. But “lone ranger thinking” is a significant contributor. Through the years I’ve been fortunate to have many people, men and women, who invested in my life in various ways. And I’m striving to “pay it forward” by investing in others through personal mentoring and teaching. We can't do it alone.

The Christian life never was intended to take place in a vacuum. Just as human organs must function in concert to sustain healthy life, as parts of the body of Christ we’re designed to support and complement one another. For following Jesus, lone rangers need not apply.