Sopater the Berean, son of Pyrrhus, accompanied him; and of the Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secundus; and Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy; and the Asians, Tychicus and Trophimus. These went on ahead and were waiting for us at Troas, but we sailed away from Philippi after the days of Unleavened Bread, and in five days we came to them at Troas, where we stayed for seven days. — Acts 20:4-6

Now, this may look like a random list of men. But it's not. It is seven strategic men traveling with Paul from three different areas. Sopater, Aristarchus, and Secundus were three representatives from Macedonian churches. Gaius and Timothy were two representatives from southern Galatian churches. Tychicus and Trophimus were two representatives from Asian churches. And the reason they were traveling with Paul, the eighth man of the group, was because Paul had a large amount of money he was bringing to the church in Jerusalem.

There are two great lessons here for men.

First, men need other men for protection from external enemies. We need protection because there are always those who want to oppose us. There are predators out there who seek to inflict harm on men who travel alone. Yet when we travel together, external threats are minimized — not eliminated, but definitely diminished. Second, men need other men for protection from internal enemies. The true enemy we all fight is born in the heart of man. It is not always external, as if it never happens to the follower. Selfishness and sin can find their way even into a devout believer's heart. But when we have other traveling compansions around us, we have men to help us meditate and redirect our selfishness and sin, hopefully before it becomes an external threat.

Paul does something here we should all do. He takes positive, proactive spiritual action by putting himself in the company of other men to protect himself from both of these threats — internal and external.

So today, if you don't have a Christian traveling companion in this life, you need to get one. I would address this immediately. And here is a step you could take. Take another brother, you know, out to lunch this week. Pay for his meal and pick his brain for some advice in an area that is presently challenging for you. And discover the value of brotherhood. One that protects you from the enemy without and the enemy within.

ASK THIS: Who is someone you could take to lunch this week that you could learn from?

DO THIS: Set up a meeting.

PRAY THIS: God, I confess I have been doing life alone. And I am living unprotected. Bring a divine relationship of protection into my life.

PLAY THIS: Jesus My Brother — Chris Tofilon

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