Legacy Series: Partnership (Who Do I Bring Along?)

I'm a firm believer that nothing great has ever happened through an individual effort; perhaps more accurately, that we can't expect to accomplish anything great on our own. It can be tempting to give into the notion that nobody else will understand or ever put as much effort into your dreams as you will, which isn't completely wrong, in my opinion, but it's dangerously misleading. From the very beginning of your life, and the lives of any of your favorite pastors, evangelists, speakers, authors, athletes, friends, or family members, there have been people behind 'the person' who made success possible. We've seen great movements who've been headed up by great leaders, revelation from great teachers, inspiration from great preachers, but there is usually a whole cast of individuals who've encouraged and paved a way for these "great" individuals. There may be exceptions to this rule that I'm unaware of, but I think that it's best to assume that we might not be exceptions. So once you've figured out what you're going to do, there comes a time in which you have to ask yourself this next question: Who do I partner with in this journey?

I love what the Bible has to say about this idea. One of my favorite examples comes from the great book, Ecclesiastes:

"Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and had not another to lift him up! Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him--a threefold cord in not quickly broken (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12).

Another popular quote: if you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go with a group. The reason I've gone in this order (purpose, plan, then partnership) is because each step builds upon the last. You can't know who to partner with if you don't know why you're headed somewhere, or how you're going to get there. So, these are the questions we'll build upon when answering this next question of partnership.

Why?

Why are you looking partner with this person, or this group of people? The answer to this question, in my opinion, ought to be some form of they will challenge me to rely on God in this journey. It's not a good idea to partner with individuals who would lead you astray from the Source; after all, if we're not looking to glorify and honor God with our plans, I'd argue that there may be a heart issue that needs to be addressed (if you're a professing Christian, of course). Generally, it'd be best to partner with those who are headed in the same direction as you, with those who have similar goals or desires. In Christian circles, we tend to refer to 2 Corinthians 6:

"Do not be unequally yoked (tied together) with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? (2 Corinthians 6:14).

What this verse, and those that follow, are referring to is the fact that we can't be guided, in our the most important decisions of our lives, by those who don't have the same source of motivation.

Imagine two men agree to go on an expedition together, one motivated by the freedom promised in a new land, and the other by the gold promised on said journey. At the start, it may seem as though things are going fine, both men are encouraging one another, saying, "press on until we find the treasure!" Their desires are seemingly taking them to the same place, but along the way the men find the promised heaps of gold. They start picking and packing it, it's gold after all. Eventually, as they continue on the journey, the gold becomes too heavy to carry all the way to the end, and the one man wants to cash in his reward; he says, "we should stop here and collect all the gold we can so as to make our profits. We've found what we're looking for!" The other looks to the first, perplexed, and says, "How could you suggest such a thing? We've yet to find the the land which promises our freedom!"

If both men are set on separate treasures, what's the most logical thing for them to do? I'd say either one (or both) of the men compromises his goals, or the men continue on their journeys alone--which we've decided is no good. The illustration is simple, and perhaps a little silly, but it illustrates a key point: close partnership with those who are guided by different core motives will almost certainly lead to tension and distraction along the way. This isn't to say don't befriend people who believe different things or have different goals than you, but I believe that true fulfillment come through partnership between those who are like-minded. When it comes to the important life, business, or ministry decisions, it's imperative that you're in circle of influence is filled with people whose motivations line up with yours. However, this isn't to say that you ought to be filling the same roles on this journey. That would be insanely inefficient, which is why we look to answer the next question: how can this partnership help me reach my goal?

How?

What are you good at? What are you bad at? What might you need help improving upon? What are you willing and able to teach to others? Questions like these ought to get you going once you've established the direction you want to take. Just as important as the heart is in this matter, is the skills or abilities necessary to achieve your goal. Let's go back to that illustration from before. Say we choose the gold route. What good is it to have to people who know how to dig for gold, but can't take it anywhere to cash it in? What if both men are excellent businessmen, but neither knows the first thing about actually digging and purifying gold, preparing it for sale? The whole operation falls apart without a diversity of talent and ability. Look at the story of Moses and Aaron (separation of the roles of prophet and priest), or your favorite sports team which has a few coaches, players, and front office individuals each taking care of their own jobs. The biggest businesses have a separate CEO, CFO, COO, and a board who each has their own roles. Chances are, the church you go to have a separate head pastor, worship leader, and head children's minster if it grows to need such separation of roles.

How do these operations impact you in your personal journey and your search for partnership? Well, I don't know what God has called you to do, I don't know what your personal ministry will look like. But I can tell you that at the very least you ought to have someone who can help guide you or keep you aligned while you're on this journey--something like a mentor. And it may also serve you well to find others looking to achieve similar goals as a means for encouragement and ideation.

Beyond that, these "roles" to be filled will have to be found through honesty and transparency with yourself, and whatever needs you have at the time. What am I good at? What am I bad at? What might I need help improving upon? What am I willing and able to teach to others? Ask questions like these as often as you can, and be brutally honest in giving a response. You may find that you can handle most of the work that needs to be done, or perhaps that you have absolutely no clue where to actually begin. In either case move accordingly, and keep asking questions: where can I go to get the answer to this question? Where can I go for assistance with X? Who could help me get Y? Would it be possible collaborate with someone on Z? I'm sure you get the point.

Consult the Holy Spirit

The best piece of advice that I could give you here is this: Look to God. The same Spirit that rose Jesus Christ from the dead dwells in you once you've accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior. It takes time to learn how to discern His guidance and to separate His voice from your own. This comes easier with time spent in the Word (the Bible), so I'd urge you: as you go through this journey, do so prayerfully, and be led by the Word and Spirit of God. As I've reminded you before, this is a discovery more so than a creation or manifestation of legacy. God created each of us for a specific purpose, He knows what we're meant to leave behind; so if you gain nothing else from this series, remember that fact and place your trust in God. Jesus is always the most important thing--it's because of Him that we have an opportunity to spread the Gospel and to accept it ourselves. So, as you find those people who will join you in your journey, remember that God ought to be in the center of these relationships. Seek to be close to Him; be blessed, seek wisdom, and enjoy.

Verses to Get You Started:

Exodus 7:1-2

Exodus 17:10-13

Exodus 28:1-2

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

2 Corinthians 6:14