January 26, 2023
We Can Do More Together
Solomon - “Two can accomplish more than twice as much as one, for the results can be much better. If one falls, the other pulls him up; but if a man falls when he’s alone, he’s in trouble.” (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10)
DAILY DEVOTION
It is easy to see from the way Nehemiah organized the rebuilding of the wall that he encouraged teamwork. Nehemiah worked clockwise around the wall surrounding Jerusalem, placing people next to each other so they could be supportive to one another. He understood that people can accomplish so much more when they work together as a team than when they simply work as individuals. In Nehemiah chapter three, the phrases “next to him” or “next to them” is used twenty times.
B.C. Forbes, the founder of Forbes magazine, once said, “You spell success T-E-A-M-W-O-R-K.” Teamwork should always be practiced in any ministry or project. Together, we can do many things we can’t do alone. Geese fly 72% farther when they’re in formation as opposed to when they fly alone. When we cooperate, there is great growth. Rick Warren, author of the Purpose Driven Life, once wrote, “Coming together is a beginning, keeping together is progress, thinking together is unity, and working together is success.” Cooperation is a greater motivator than competition. It lasts longer because when you cooperate with one another, you feel like you’re working together on a winning team.
The phrase “one another” is used 58 times in the New Testament, to remind us that the Lord wants us to constantly be working together and ministering to one another. It's as if the Lord is saying, "Get the message! I want you to help each other!" One thing is certain. We do need each other and there is tremendous power in cooperation. The Lord will overlook almost anything in a church: poor facilities, no facilities, poor doctrine. However, the one thing He will not overlook is disunity. In the first ten chapters of Acts, ten different times it is written that, "they were of one accord... of one heart ... they were unified."
When we have unity like they did in Acts, we will have the power that is seen in the book of Acts. There is power in teamwork, no matter how lowly each of the members may be. Someone once said, "Snow is a beautiful demonstration of what God can do with a bunch of flakes." Individually, we may not be able to do much because snowflakes are pretty frail. But if enough snowflakes stick together they can stop traffic. Together, we can make an impact. That's teamwork.
FOLLOW UP ACTIVITY
Think through an upcoming project you have. Make a list of the ways you can cooperate with others to make it more successful? If you’re leading your family through this exercise, dialogue with them about an upcoming family project where everyone in the family could cooperate to tackle the project more thoroughly.
PRAYER FOR TODAY
Lord, whenever it’s possible, help me to always cooperate with others. In Jesus’ name, Amen.