Faith & Family Business
Party time in the family business (2 Samuel 6:14-15)
Welcome to my third Faith and Family Business series, focusing on the Biblical King David. David’s story explores a full range of emotions and experiences in life, offering insights about ourselves and others in work and family. My hope is that your own faith, family, and understanding of your family business will be enriched by considering David's story.
After David battles and wins against the Philistines, he gathers his people to retrieve the Ark of the Covenant and bring it to Jerusalem in celebration.
And David danced before the Lord with all his might. And David was wearing a linen ephod. So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting and with the sound of the horn. (2 Sam. 6:14-15)
David and his followers had a lot to celebrate. They had endured hardships and opposition for years, not only from the Philistines, an external foe, but also from some disgruntled supporters of Saul's regime. In the decisive battles against the Philistines, the Lord had given David instruction on how to achieve victory. Things were finally going well, and David and his people wanted to celebrate. They demonstrated their gratitude to God by bringing the Ark to Jerusalem.
One of the challenges in a family business is stopping long enough to celebrate your accomplishments. Between fickle customers and volatile markets, increasing prices and difficult competitors, it sometimes feels like the business is one decision away from failure. “We can’t slow down now…and we sure don’t have time to throw a party!” But occasionally celebrating your achievements, and giving thanks to God for His many blessings, helps you approach the future with a better perspective. It sets the stage for a more positive experience as you work together toward common goals.
When did you last celebrate your accomplishments in the family business? If you threw a party today to recognize God’s blessings on your family and family business, what would it look like?