The 1 + 1 = 3 Principle

What God Can Do with a Little Bit of Unity

Denise and I looked at each other, as if to say, “What just happened here?”  We felt it: the “1+1=3 Principle”.

The 1+1=3 Principle happens when two people combine forces, creating a mysterious chemistry where together they can accomplish much more than they would separately. I believe it’s this principle that God inspired the author of Ecclesiastes to write: “Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.”  (Ecclesiastes 4:12)  When God is the focus of hearts and conversations, He works even when we’re not aware.

And now, a song we started transformed an irritable mob of people.

Denise and I met when our kids were in preschool together, but our homes and our lives are about 30 minutes from each other. What lie between is a maze of congested traffic, baseball practices and the day-to-day juggling of families and lives. Yet when we get together, it’s very often the 1+1=3 Principle. As Denise and I talk and share our concerns, monumental problems become smaller. When we brainstorm, thoughts that were log-jammed become unclogged and ideas begin flowing. The funniest things happen and the grandest of things happen.

What to do with 7,000 people…

This principle came into clear focus this particular day Denise’s family of five and my family of three were waiting outside a stadium for a political rally to begin. Along with seven thousand other people, we were standing together like an overstuffed box of matchsticks.  The Florida heat made the long wait even more unbearable. Our feet were tired, our bodies were sweaty and our moods were cranky.

Denise and I decided that singing would help pass the time, so we began our repertoire with “God Bless America.” Neither Denise nor I would have begun a song on our own, but we knew that the other would pick up the tune before the second note escaped our mouths. First our kids began singing along, and then our spouses and neighbors joined in. Very soon the entire crowd packed in around us and beyond, were singing the melody while swaying back and forth.

The Divine Conductor

Like a flame on a single candle touching another candle, our song spread within seconds to thousands. Suddenly, the irritable crowd was transformed into a unified, reverent body. The volume rose and swelled as if the Divine Conductor led it.

Denise and I looked at each other, tears filling our eyes. Was this sudden change of the crowd’s mood because of Denise’s and my virtuoso singing qualities? Hardly. We can sing, but our voices are nothing to write home about. No, the group’s change of attitude was because God used the willing instruments of two friends to create a brief glimpse into what we could be when we join together with Him in song.

Questions: 

1)    Do you have a friend, spouse or family member who, together, you make up the 1+1=3 Principle?

2)    As voting day approaches, is there something that everyone in your community can agree on?

3)    Before voting day, can you and your 1+1=3 person draw on that something-that-everyone-can-agree-upon, to have people come together in unity?