Brother to brother, believer to believer, we are deputized by Jesus and given the authority in Him to firmly and gently encourage a brother to line his life up with his identity and responsibility as God’s man. It’s not about the messenger, his character, or even his delivery. It’s about who he represents, the truthfulness of his observation, and his faithfulness to God’s purpose for the relationship.

What is the relationship between a clown fish and sea anemone? Lobbyists and political parties? Abbot and Costello? Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis? All of these relationships are symbiotic. The connectedness of two dissimilar organisms or people that is mutually beneficial. What about God’s men in a local body of believers, a house church, a small group? Rob and Darren. Bill and Howard. Scott and Dave. Mike and Frank. Two dissimilar men who have unique skills, passions, natural abilities, personalities, and life experiences, mysteriously connected by God and mutually benefiting. Designed different, but put together for a specific, kingdom purpose by the Creator.

So what? What’s actually at stake if you don’t enter that kind of spiritual relationship with another man or two? The less accountable God’s men are, the sicker that body becomes because it’s got unchecked cancers of character growing. The more accountable we are as God’s men, the healthier the individuals are and, consequently, the healthier their body of believers becomes. That’s why more of God’s men need to have a Jonathan and David moment. One God’s man simply commits to the other that “The Lord is witness between you and me” (I Samuel 20:42). In other words, we are each other’s spiritual space invaders, we won’t let each other fail spiritually.

Solomon saw clearly that our spiritual direction in the present is determined by our willingness to be deeply connected and accountable to men of character. He instructs, “Thus you will walk in the ways of good men and keep to the paths of righteousness” (Proverbs 2:20). We are better together but that means taking a purposeful risk.

Kenny Luck is the Men's Pastor at Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California. He is also the Founder and President of Every Man Ministries which helps churches worldwide develop and grow healthy men's communities. Please visit www.everymanministries.com for more information.