Why can’t we work together? (4)

A lady told her friend, “My husband and I have a very happy marriage. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for him, and there’s nothing he wouldn’t do for me. And that’s the way we go through life – doing nothing for each other!” We smile, but that’s not so funny when it’s true. That attitude paves the road to disaster in marriage, business, church, personal relationships, and everywhere else. Often people join a team for their own advantage – they want supporting players so they can receive all the accolades. But ultimately, that attitude not only hurts them, but it also hurts the people they work with and hinders the results they otherwise could have had. President Woodrow Wilson asserted, “You are not here merely to make a living. You are here to enable the world to live more amply, with greater vision, with a finer spirit of hope and achievement. You are here to enrich the world and to impoverish yourself if you forget the errand.” Here is a true statement, if ever there was one: when you use people, exploit them, and take advantage of them, you inevitably fail in life. Is it easy to work with others and always get along? Sometimes yes, sometimes no. That’s why Paul wrote, “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” You have to work at it. When someone criticizes, offset it with a compliment. When someone complains, find something to be thankful for. When someone comes across as self-centred, remind them that the collective goal you’re striving for is greater than any one individual.