Community Is . . . Teamwork
Scripture Reading — Ecclesiastes 4:7-12
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
Sam loves to play video games with his friends. He vividly remembers a time at the end of the school year when a group of them teamed up to complete an especially difficult level. None of them had been able to do that on their own, but when they teamed up and all used their abilities and skills, they were able to win.
That lesson has stuck in Sam’s mind. Maybe you can think of a time when a group of people were able to accomplish something that would have been impossible for only one person to achieve.
I’m reminded of the story in Mark 2 about the friends of a paralyzed man who lowered him through a roof to set him in front of Jesus. While this story is about so much more than just teamwork, imagine if one person had tried to lower the man through the roof instead of a group of them. How well would that have worked out?
The writer of Ecclesiastes knew the benefits of working together. His description of a man working alone is heartbreaking; in the end, all of that man’s labor is meaningless. Working together with others gives greater reward, more assistance, and in the end is just plain smart!
Are you trying to do things on your own that would work out better if you were doing it with others? Who can help you, or whom can you team up with to get a better return on your efforts?
Father, help us to work together so that our efforts may glorify and honor you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
About the author — Bret Lamsma
Bret Lamsma is Director of Faith Formation at First Church in Denver, Colorado, and has served churches in Michigan and California in youth, emerging adult, inter-generational, and educational ministries. Bret and his wife, Julie, have two children, and he enjoys hiking, disc golfing, and cheering for the Chicago Cubs.
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