At the very beginning of the world, you observe God having a wonderful adventure. He was creating this and that and the other, evidently enjoying Himself. I am thinking that since we were created in His image, our lives too can be one great adventure. But that might be a story for another day as we continue with our series on divine health. For now, we observe everything he created that week ended with “and it was good.” And then suddenly, you read “It is NOT good. What? It was not good that man should be alone. Hence the title of this post is to get a team.
At that time, God solved Adam’s problem by giving him a team – of two. Do you have a team? This is not about single-shaming. Rather, it will encourage you to get a team whether or not you are married. Giving Adam his own team and calling it marriage was just one option. There are innumerable ways by which a person – male or female, young or old – could form a partnership . For instance, in the recent past, I part of a group of gardeners. I have since left but while there, I derived untold benefits. They were phenomenal and I am still putting the lessons I learned there to good use.
The need to be part of a community not be a new concept to many of us. But it is important to mention that a dog is not part of the team you need. Neither is a cat or a bird of any sort or any other creature except another human. We say that because in some cultures, you hear of animals providing the support that God meant for a human to provide.
Why You Need To Get A Team
Some children in hospitals have only dolphins when they need to get a team. Some adults have only dogs and cats as part of their community. They claim they do that because dogs don’t ask questions the way human beings do. Oh well. But it is important to be a part of a community that consists of others like you. And the LORD God said, “It is not good that man should be alone. I will make him a helper comparable to him.” Please note that God said when you become part of a community, it must consist of those who are comparable to you. By all means, love your dogs or cats or snakes all you want. But that is not your community.
Why did God suddenly change from “it is good” to “it is not good?” Well, he realized the man did not yet have a team. What is the importance of getting a team? First, it keeps you from being alone and that is critical to avoid falling into the devil’s traps. Do you recall that satan did not approach Eve until she was alone? He is still doing that today. He causes confusion and breaks up your team so he can isolate you to attack you. If for that reason alone, you must get a team.
Being alone also leads to very many diseases such as not eating well or taking care of your body. But there is more. God said we are helpers to one another even in the creation story. Another way of saying that is that two are better than one. Why? The same verse says it is because they have a good reward for their labor. Perhaps that is why nations that form business partnerships go further than those that don’t.
God Is Not A Loner
But the reasons God wants us to be part of a vital community do not end there. Being with someone trains you in human relationships. Yes, you need to get a team so you can receive practical training in human relationships. That is the reason you find that those whose teams consist only of pets have sharp edges in their characters. The dog does not question them and can therefore not give them the necessary training to become better people. In that respect, marriage is the ultimate training program for building character.
If you doubt me, ask successfully married people. They will tell you how they have mellowed over the years. Being part of a church or any other group is also good training. No matter what group you belong to, make sure you participate in their activities. It will keep you safe from satan and those mental diseases associated with being alone. Even the Almighty God has a team. Some congregations refer to God’s team as the Trinity.
We see God’s team in action at creation, at Jesus’ baptism, and so on. I don’t doubt that Jesus had enough power to save the world by himself. But he decided to put together a team of twelve from whom we can learn also how to manage our team. Not all your group members will agree with you at all times, just like Judas Iscariot fell out of the Jesus team. You must know how to let go before your team becomes toxic and counterproductive for your health. But don’t let that stop you from acting on this advice to find a community to which you can belong. You will be healthier for it
Stay tuned
Maranatha!
