Strength and Safety in Numbers

Before our recent trip to Italy, we read articles and viewed videos about the do’s and don’ts about travel overseas. A lot of the supposed advice, such as not to wear shorts or T-shirts, proved to be off-base. Especially because when we went in late July, with temperatures stuck in the 90s (not sure what that was in Celsius), going around in shorts and the lightest shirts possible was definitely the way to go.

One of our stops in Italy was the island of Capri. Our
tour group provided companionship and safety.

Another admonition was to be wary of pickpockets, or individuals seeking to scam you out of your possessions by using various techniques. Although we never encountered situations like these, there might have been good reason. 

Most of the time we were with a tour group of 29 men and women, including our tour guide. While none of us would have been mistaken for bouncers or professional wrestlers, I’m sure our sheer numbers would have discouraged potential con artists. As they say, there is strength and safety in numbers.

We see examples of this in everyday life all the time. I haven’t had an opportunity to see the giant redwoods along the Pacific Coast, but I’ve heard many of them tower more than 300 feet tall. At that height, we would rightfully assume they have a very deep root system to anchor them. However, roots for the redwoods (Sequoia sempervirens is the official scientific name) are very shallow, typically not deeper than five or six feet. 

So what’s the secret of their stability? Those same roots can extend up to 100 feet, and they intertwine with the roots of neighboring redwood trees. The trees thrive in thick groves, where they fuse their roots together and form a natural support system. 

Remember the thin, No. 2 pencils we used in school? I recall being able to take one, hold it between my outstretched fingers and with little effort, being able to snap it in two. For a moment, we could feel like Superman. But put two between one’s fingers at one time and the task got much harder; try three at a time and it might be the finger bones that did the snapping.

The same principle holds true even for relatively thin pieces of string. In fact, the Bible says as much: “A cord of three strands is not easily broken” (Ecclesiastes 4:12).

Do you ever watch TV crime shows, maybe “NCIS” or one of the detective series? In almost every episode, some knucklehead decides to walk down a dark alley or into a forest at night. Oh, no! You know what’s going to happen: Nothing good! I have no affinity for dark alleys, period – but if I ever had to go into one, I’d make sure to gather several burly, mean-looking friends of mine to accompany me.

I’ve discovered this is one big reason men are eager to engage in mentoring relationships. Personal growth, whether from a professional or spiritual standpoint, is much more difficult when attempted in isolation. They might try to develop on their own, but it proves to be a slow, frustrating, even futile pursuit. Too many distractions and pitfalls along the way. 

We need the constructive, sometimes creative friction that we gain by being together as mentor and mentoring partner to grow and mature most effectively. Proverbs 27:17 puts it this way: “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” 

Sad but true, the world around us has become less and less safe. As they say, it’s a jungle out there. Especially from a spiritual perspective. The Scriptures tell us, “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). There are two ways to avoid this danger. The first is to flee. The second is to travel in the company of fellow believers, supporting and encouraging one another, and applying the principle that there truly is strength and safety in numbers.

Being Sapped By the Apps

My first computer was a Macintosh 512K, given to me in 1985 by a kind friend who was an Apple dealer. He figured it was about time for me to become liberated from my electric typewriter and enter the new and exciting world of word processing. He was right. Even in its primitive state, the 512K changed my life in many ways.

If you’re old enough to remember, the 512K was a slower-than-molasses machine with a tiny black-and-white screen that could hide in a corner of my present iMac monitor. Only at the time, we didn’t know it was slower than molasses. We just figured snail’s pace was how desktop computers were supposed to operate.

I remember writing for a few minutes and – having learned the hard way about the necessity of periodically saving the work you’d done – selecting “Save” from the menu. (We used to quip that Jesus wasn’t the only one that saves.) The computer would grind away, as if trying to figure out what to do with the data – sentences and paragraphs I’d just keyed in. It took so long I’d pray that the power wouldn’t go out before my eloquent words could be preserved.

Apps can sap the energy on our smartphones,
tablets - and in our minds.

Fast-forward to today, when computers of all kinds, including smartphones, possess far more power and capacity than room-sized computers did back in the “olden days.” Even applications – we know them as “apps” – offer possibilities for work, entertainment, information and efficiency that seemed inconceivable just a few decades ago. Ah, the wonders of technology!

Of course, as with many things, there are drawbacks. One is that apps can provide instant access to almost anything we want or need, but also can drain the power from our rechargeable devices. It took a while to realize that unless I fully closed out an app, it would continue running in the background, draining power from the battery. I couldn’t just bounce from app to app if I wanted to continue using my iPad or iPhone for an extended time without having to recharge it. Now I consistently close apps not in use. Beware of being sapped by the apps!

A similar principle affects the “computers” between our ears. We have “apps” – apprehensions, anxieties, worries and fears – that all can sap us emotionally, psychologically and spiritually. They too can “run in the background,” plaguing our subconscious even as we’re trying to concentrate on other matters.

Some time ago a personal issue arose that wasn’t going to be resolved quickly. I spent much of the day attempting to work as usual, but felt like I was running in place, expending a lot of energy but not going anywhere. Then it occurred to me – my “apps” of apprehension and worry were humming in the back of my mind, depleting my mental resources.

What do we do at times like that? Fretting over circumstances might not be very productive, but often it feels like we’re doing something about the problem, even if it’s just worrying. But there’s a better solution.

We can do as the apostle Paul urged: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7). We often say we’re trusting God to handle the various trials we encounter, but are we refusing to close out our “apps,” allowing our worries and fears to wear us down?

The apostle Peter expressed similar thoughts when he wrote, “Casting all your anxiety on him (Jesus) because he cares for you.” Then he warned: “Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith…” (1 Peter 5:7-9).

So we can let apprehensions and concerns consume us, sapping our spirits as we let them flourish in our subconscious minds. Or by faith we can turn them over to God, believing – and acting upon the belief – that He is more than able to handle whatever challenges we face.

Admittedly, that’s easier to say than to do. But it’s the only way we can truly experience “the peace that passes all understanding” we’re promised, if only we’ll accept it.