Welcome to my Faith and Family Business reflections, where I (briefly) probe important questions that arise in family business – questions relating to behavior, relationships and legacy – from the angle of a biblical story or spiritual perspective.
My current series on Faith & Family business is looking at the book of Judges, the time in betweenMoses and Joshua’s leadership and the leadership of the Kings, beginning with Saul. I’m fascinated by this time “in between” leadership structures, some of the particular Judges who led Israel — notably Gideon, Jeptha, and Samson — and the pattern, or cycle, that Israel experiences repeatedly of sin, oppression, repentance, and deliverance. I see a few parallels with families in business.
My first series on Faith & Family Business viewed legacy, behavior and relationships through the story of the brothers Jacob and Esau (Genesis chapters 25-33). I examined how they dealt with each other in good times and bad, through difficult family circumstances, and through conflict and reconciliation. Each week I posed questions about what we might learn from their interaction. That series begins here.
My second series considered the book of Proverbs, a much more direct set of instructions for how to live wisely. Though written thousands of years ago by Solomon and others, these proverbs still have a timeliness and power today. I studied these maxims in the context of our current experience of living and working with family members. That series begins here.
My third series focused on King David (First and Second Samuel). David’s story explores a full range of emotions and experiences in life, offering insights about ourselves and others in work and family. We see David in a variety of situations, from youthful shepherd to unexpected victor in battle against Goliath, to a person whose rise in prominence threatens King Saul. David experiences incredible success and becomes King, but then his family life falls apart after an unfaithful relationship. Finally, he becomes one of the most noted religious poets in history. That series begins here.
My fourth series focused on blessings for the family business. The Irish poet and priest, John O’Donohue, writes that “A blessing is a circle of light drawn around a person to protect, heal, and strengthen.” A blessing speaks to our deep hopes and our spiritual longings for our lives, particularly at the “thresholds” of the transitions we experience. After experiencing the intimacy of family business transitions for several decades, I see that this yearning for wholeness also applies to a family working together. That series begins here, and you can find a collection of all 24 Blessings on my website.
Thanks for reading. I’m always interested in your feedback, and appreciate your sharing of these messages with your friends and family business partners.
