Our soul waits for the Lord;
He is our help and our shield.
For our heart rejoices in Him,
Because we trust in His holy name.
Psalm 33:20-21 (NASB)
Series: Perfected in Unity
In many businesses, October 1 signifies the “Business New Year.” The goals set and work accomplished in the last quarter of the year set the trajectory for the incoming new year, come January. Left unattended, some enter the next year with no plan, rote action, and perhaps a dip in production.
My company hosts an annual “Business Planning Clinic” every September. In this all-day event, we review our past production, identify strengths and weaknesses in our performance, set our goals for the new year, and then create a plan of action for the last quarter of the year to set us up for success before the calendar even turns.
I enjoy these days of scheduled learning, collaboration, and synergy. Working together breeds diverse perspectives, collective wisdom, and better solutions. The unity experienced in these training sessions is powerful and innovative. The strength and power of knowledge and encouragement shared fuels passion, impact, and success.
Scripture supports these truths. Ecclesiastes 4:9 (NIV) says:
Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor.
When we join forces with our coworkers, we accomplish so much more than if we were working alone. We see this realized in the book of Nehemiah. The Babylonians captured the Israelites and destroyed the walls of Jerusalem. Nehemiah, after assessing the damage of the wall, called the Israelites to work together to repair the wall.
After praying, planning, and rallying the people, the work began. The people labored side by side, each attending to a specific portion of the wall, and worked around the clock in shifts. They watched for any danger or weaknesses and developed a signal to alert all others of any attack from the enemy.
The unity among the people helping to rebuild the wall is inspiring. Oh! If we could lay our agendas down long enough to see and contribute toward the common needs, goals, and actions required to help our workplaces succeed! Nehemiah, in 4:6 (NASB), reports:
So we built the wall, and the entire wall was joined together to half its height, for the people had a mind to work. (Nehemiah 4:6 NASB)
The people had a mind—a will, devotion, passion, focus, commitment—to work together to achieve this amazing goal. And they did it! They succeeded! Perfect unity produced that outcome. In only 52 days—less than 2 months—they rebuilt the wall.
Are you able to unite with people to work toward a common goal? We have 3 months left this year, and a whole new year to plan for. What do you want to accomplish? What does your company need to succeed? Let us encourage you with these steps, learned from the book of Nehemiah, as you commit to work together in unity:
- Pray. Seek God and His direction, wisdom, and creativity as you approach the work at hand. Trust Him with His plan.
- Encourage those around you to unite with you to work toward that common goal.
- Plan. Make sure the right people are at the right posts doing the right things.
- Act. Put your hand to the plow and work together, each assigned to their own section or tasks or roles.
- Create a rally cry to identify when someone feels weak, overwhelmed, or attacked. Know God is your help and your shield.
- Be realistic regarding times to work and times to rest. Schedule these in and guard your time blocks.
- Celebrate the successes together, rejoice in God, and give all the glory to Him!
Let’s choose to unite together in our workplaces to promote the success of ourselves, our coworkers, and our companies.
Holding Fast to Hope,
Maryann
Scripture References: Psalm 33:20-21; Ecclesiastes 4:9; Nehemiah 1-6
