Am guessing that when you see the following short list of famous pairs, you will think of other duos that have a way of doing together what neither could do on their own. In addition to bacon and eggs, there are,
- Sherlock and Watson
- Tom and Huck
- Abbot and Costello
- Batman and Robin
- Lewis and Clark
- Clark Kent and Lois
- The Lone Ranger and Tonto etc.
If from a much longer list we took any pair and thought about it, we could probably find out why together something emerges that is greater than 1 + 1 = 2.
The Bible gives us many examples of such pairs. Some are people like David and Goliath. Others are combinations of principles like justice and mercy. In every case what emerges is something greater than either part could be on its own.
- David + Goliath = something we learn about our God
- Justice + Mercy = something we learn about God, life, relationships, and ourselves.
This ability to think in pairs is essential to our spiritual growth. It’s part of the idea that we have in mind when we describe the difference between giving someone a fish, or showing them how to fish. It’s about synergy, working together, wisdom, and the very nature of our God.
Who can adequately measure the importance of the statement: “The Word became flesh, and lived among us full of grace and truth” (John 1:14)?
Let’s begin exploring together some of the famous pairs of the Bible by thinking about the implications of a statement that does not simply say that “The Word was full of truth”, or that “The Word was full of grace.” As we think about the way grace and truth work together, let’s try to see them in both principle, and also in light of personal examples we have seen along the way.