Two Is One

Two Is One

There’s an old survivalist motto that my husband is fond of using (typically when I ask if three cartons of milk in our weekly online grocery order doesn’t feel just a bit like overkill):

Two is one, one is none.

If having two is considered having only one, rarely will you find yourself with none. These words act as a reminder that being proactive will always serve us better than being reactive. Proactivity has to do with actions we initiate; reactivity has to do with actions initiated by other people, events, or situations.

Proverbs 6:8 examines this idea of being proactive from the perspective of an ant. A tiny creature and yet one we can learn from, as the ants understand that there is a time when gathering won’t be possible. The ant knows to prepare for the times when there will be no food.

From a career perspective, it is not enough to keep going to the same job or operating the same business, even if we do it diligently. We need to measure the future viability of our job or business and make whatever changes are necessary to avoid loss.

From an economic perspective, we need to be wise in how we deal with our money – setting aside funds for times when things are lean. Those who spend as quickly as they earn will be unprepared for such times.

From a spiritual perspective, we can be proactive by taking action to grow in our faith. When we are spiritually proactive, we seek closeness and wisdom from God to best prepare for the harder times ahead, before we find ourselves at a breaking point.

Last year, many of us faced circumstances and situations we hadn’t been able to prepare for, forcing us to be reactive. But the beauty of 2021 is the gift of hindsight and foresight it brings with it. My prayer is that we use it to proactively pursue our faith and in doing so, never find ourselves without what we need most.