By and large, we humans are a competitive bunch. When we seek to be the best at something, we measure our ability relative to others. For the most part, it's healthy and it makes us all better when we push ourselves and each other in this way. But if that's the only path to success we travel on, we're missing out. In this text Jesus clearly shows us a more potent path. He says that where two or three (or more) come together in his name, there he is too. The mathematics here is not addition. It's multiplication. When we put aside our competitive individualism and come together to seek the will of God and set our hearts and minds to his end, it's not the talents of one person + the talents of another, but it's the talents of one times the talents of another plus the power of Christ. If we really want to make a difference in the world, we need each other to do it, and we need the presence and power of God to fuel it. That's what happens when we do it together. Not that they intended to, but The Beatles may have actually spoken well on this point when they said: Come together... right now... over me.
Readings: Exodus 4:1-5:21; Matthew 18:1-22; Psalm 22:19-31; Proverbs 5:15-21
