Now my son, the Lord be with thee; and prosper thee, and build the house of the Lord thy God, as he hath said of thee. 1 Chronicles 22:11

President Obama, during the recently successful campaign, mentioned to a group of supporters that if you are a success in life, you did not get there on your own.

Rebuke and scolding were swift and immediate.

His opponents scoffed.

They were mortified and indignant at such a ridiculous concept in an age when rugged individualism and courageous independence are so highly exalted.

We celebrate the idea of doing it "my way," the Lone Ranger mystique and the solitary avenging hero.

We are in awe of the steely-jawed, flinty-eyed caped crusader with the 007 designation who appears in the nick of time to rescue the damsel in distress and save the day.

But, from the womb to the grave is that really the case?

Do we really get from here to there, with only our two bare hands we scale and reach the top of the mountain completely alone?

We would like to think so, conveniently forgetting the Lone Ranger had Tonto and Silver the horse. Batman was aided by Robin and Alfred the butler. James Bond could not accomplish his astounding feats without Q and M. So as you dig deeper and investigate further, history and common sense paint a different picture.

I recently attended a church dedication for the Living Word Open Bible Church in Cooper City, Fl. Upon entering the grounds, a banner was prominently displayed across the road from one side to the other. It was impossible to miss. It's message was simple and profound. "This is the Lord's doing. It is marvelous in our eyes."

During the ceremony, the Pastor and his wife were careful to tender, render, deflect and assign any praise or acclaim to God. They informed us the day was the culmination of a 16-year odyssey. They did not arrive at that point alone. Hence, they were diligent and intentional in honoring and appreciating those persons who were instrumental in helping them, whether physically, prayerfully or financially during the journey. They underscored and endorsed throughout the day's activities the following axiom, "Together Everyone Achieves More."

The author of the following quote may have intended to be sarcastic and facetious when he wrote the words,"success has many fathers but failure is an orphan."

Nevertheless, there is truth in that statement because nobody has ever achieved anything noteworthy, long-lasting, beneficial or effective without the help of someone else.

They who would choose to believe differently are engaging in wishful thinking at best or at worst pure arrogance. I hasten to remind you about what the Bible says, "a proud look is an abomination to the Lord" and that "pride goeth before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall."

Joseph could not have realized his dream without Judah who prevented his murder, the butler who remembered him in prison or Pharaoh who promoted him upon his release.

Moses could not have delivered the children of Israel without Miriam who placed him in a bulrush basket on the river or Pharaoh's daughter who drew him from the waters.

Ruth would not have married Boaz if she had not followed Naomi.

Esther could not have saved her people without the urging of Mordecai and the intervention of Ahasuereus.

What if Hewlett had not met Packard?

Thomas Edison may have been credited with the invention of the light bulb but Lewis Latimer, an African-American scientist showed him how to keep it lit.

Where would Microsoft be if Bill Gates had not partnered with Paul Allen?

Would there have been a civil rights movement if Rosa Parks had willingly given up her seat and Martin Luther King, Jr.did not have a dream?

As a matter of fact, what if your parents had decided to have an abortion when you interrupted their lives?

All along the climb up the ladder of success, God has placed people or maneuvered circumstances at strategic rungs to assist you in your ascent. Do not become ungrateful, ungracious or unappreciative.

It is not in man to direct his way for his steps are ordered by the Lord.

There is a poignant reminder in the movie, The Eddy Duchin Story, about our own inadequacy to manage or manipulate every situation according to our own terms.

The scene features Eddy and his son Peter. Upon learning that his father is about to leave again - this time permanently - as Eddy is about to die, the son protests, "you don't have to go because nobody tells you what to do." Eddy patiently and lovingly replies, "there is someone who tells us all what to do."

Therefore when you become drunk by your own success and infatuated with your own ego, remember the spearhead can only do so much without the shaft.

During those times when you are tempted and overwhelmed by your sense of power, repent quickly. Hurriedly fall to your knees and remind yourself:

I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills,

from whence cometh my help,

my help cometh from the Lord,

which made heaven and earth.

I shall not, will not and cannot build anything worthwhile------alone.

V. Knowles is a husband and father with an interest in penning issues that serve to uplift mankind. He melds his love for Classic literature, The Bible and pop culture - as sordid as it may be - into highly relatable columns of truth, faith and justice. Hence the name: Just Thinking. If he's not buried in a book or penning his next column, you may find him pinned to his sectional watching a good old Country and Western flick.