October 23, 2024 – One is Better Than Two” – by Paul Smith

One is Better Than Two
I was driving back from Mombasa to Nairobi, Kenya. It was a several hour drive. I was driving my VW Kombi van with the windows rolled down to keep cool.
Before I left Mombasa, which is on the coast of the Indian Ocean I picked up a large bag of freshly roasted cashew nuts. Cashew nuts are grown in Kenya. Not everyone likes cashew nuts. But, if you ever taste freshly roasted, whole, and extra-large cashew nuts you might change your mind.
I am heading down the road and cannot resist opening that bag of cashews. I pop one in my mouth and then a second. By the time I got to Nairobi the bag of cashews let’s just say, was not as full as it once was. From eating so many cashews at one time my stomach was turning over by the time I reached Nairobi. Every cashew that went down, came out. I could not eat another cashew for at least 10 years after that experience. I discovered one cashew nut is better than two.
In our culture if we have one of something, two must be better. If I have one pair of shoes, two will be better. If I have one pair of pants, two will be better. I am sure you get the point; more is better than less.
The Bible says we need to rethink how we think if we believe more is better. “Better one handful with tranquility than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind.” Ecclesiastes 4:6 NIV