And He withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and began to pray, saying, ‘Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done.’” – Luke 22:41–42

If you think about it, the Lone Ranger is a misnamed hero. He’s brave, morally pure, and strong, but he never fights his battles alone. Tonto is always there as a loyal partner and companion. Take it a step further; how sad it would be if the Lone Ranger really was a one-man operation. The world’s most famous cowboy might never have made it through the first movie! In fact, every great movie hero has a sidekick or partner; Batman has Robin, Sherlock Holmes has Watson, and whoever heard of Kirk without Spock?

The Bible also has some famous duos. Moses relied on Aaron, David’s best friend was Jonathan, and Ruth was the best daughter-in-law Naomi could have ever hoped to have.

However, things get a little tricky when we get to Jesus.

Jesus never had a sidekick. He did have twelve disciples, three of whom he favored, but none of them quite fit as a companion in the same sense as the others named above. He was their leader—they called him rabbi and Lord, but never brother.

So, does that make Jesus a lone ranger? Not at all.

He stayed closely connected to and talked regularly with the Father, who saw Him through the agony of Gethsemane and the passion of the cross. He relied on the Holy Spirit to see Him through Satan’s temptations in the wilderness.

So, what can we learn from all this?

Don’t be a lone ranger. Let the eternal companionship of the Father, Son, and Spirit give you the encouragement and the strength to triumph over your greatest fears. When discouragement comes your way, cast your cares on the One who saw Jesus through His darkest times.

Check out more from Tony Evans @ Tonyevans.org