“Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.” ~Henry Ford

One is too small a number to do anything great.  None of us are as good as all of us.  The image of the Body of Christ is that of a living organism that is the sum of all its parts.  For us to function effectively, we must not only discover our role in the Body, but we must fully embrace it as God’s intended purpose for our life.  We each have unique personalities, qualities, gifts, talents, abilities and backgrounds that were designed by God and granted to us.  We are to be good stewards of the gifts and abilities He has given us.  Here’s how it works:

“For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body… If the foot says, “Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body. And if the ear says, “Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body.  If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the sense of smell be?  But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired.”  (I Corinthians 12:12-18 NASB)

Have you discovered your role in the Body of Christ?  Do you appreciate those who differ from you but trust God is using them to complete His work through all of us, together?  When each of us work in our “sweet spot” alongside others who are working in their “sweet spots”, the results are amazing!  God’s design is for us to work together as one body.  This principle carries over into our workplace as well.

As Christian leaders, it’s our responsibility to see to it that all the right parts are working together and in the right way.  It’s not unlike a conductor directing an orchestra.  If everyone is properly tuned and playing the right notes, the harmony is captivating.  When individual parts are not played in harmony with everyone else, the result is discord.

True success only comes through everyone playing their part well with a unified purpose.  It’s only when everyone is properly aligned in their “sweet spot” and with each other that they will be able to make any significant progress.  The body is at its best when all its parts are working well together.

Take time today to evaluate your team and talk with each member about whether or not they are doing what they were designed to do.  Use the illustration of the Body of Christ to bring harmony to your team.