Main Idea: The Beauty of Teamwork

Two Texts: First, in Ecclesiastes 4, Solomon writes these words: “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For it they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken” (Eccl 4:9-12, ESV).

Second, and again it’s from the pen of Solomon: “Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another” (Pr 27:17, ESV).

A Personal Anecdote: When I was stationed in Vilseck, Germany as a scout, we used to do many of our field training exercises and field problems in Hohenfels. In January and February, I spent many, many frigid nights on observation posts and/or doing reconnaissance missions where I could not feel my fingers and toes due to the freezing temps. I like the cold, but there’s a limit to my fondness for cold when temps drop below a certain point and the winds slice you in half.

Anyway, I remember one series of nights when it was so cold that a buddy of mine and I lost all sense of shame, and we spooned each other’s body heat inside our ponchos like newlyweds to keep from freezing to death. It’s funny now, upon reflection and the passage of time, but at the time, we did it out of love for one another and for our own self-preservation.

It’s a picture of how teamwork makes us all better.

Encouragement: I have been blessed the last couple of years by being able to work for leadership that knows how to build a cohesive team. It’s about taking care of people. And when our people know that our leaders have our best interests at heart, the teamwork generated is remarkable. May we be known for our building, fostering, and replicating wise and effective teams.