My second Faith & Family Business series considers the book of Proverbs. Though written thousands of years ago, these proverbs still have a timeliness and power today. My aim is to consider these maxims in the context of our current experience of living and working with family members. Thanks for your feedback and sharing this post with others.
The book of Proverbs is helpful because of the way it conveys a number of truths. Consider the message in the following verse:
Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean, but abundant crops come by the strength of the ox. (Prov. 14:4)
Oxen were central to producing and transporting food, but they also got the manger a little messy. Sure, you can have a clean and tidy barn, or house, or business, or life. But without oxen, or kids, or employees, or relationships, you miss many blessings. A plentiful life requires a little chaos!
Family businesses are messy in their own right. Navigating sibling or parental relationships while also being business partners and coworkers creates frustration and requires difficult communication. You may even wonder at times whether being a “family business” is worth the hassle. But the effort produces abundance beyond economic rewards: the honor of continuing a family tradition, or the enjoyment of working with your kids and grandkids. The positive impact you have on your employees and community, and the sense of fulfillment you experience when your product or service produces value for others. Not to mention the opportunity to influence future generations through your generosity, your life’s work, your legacy.
How would you describe the blessings - the abundance - of working in a family business? What "messy" things have you seen, either in yours or another's family business, that come along with the abundance?