The Interpreter’s Bible (Vol. 11, p. 713) relays the following story:

D. L. Moody once called on a leading citizen in Chicago to persuade him to accept Christ. They were seated in the man’s parlor. It was winter and coal was burning in the fireplace. The man objected that he could be just as good a Christian outside the church as in it. Moody said nothing but stepped to the fireplace, took the tongs, picked a blazing coal from the fire and set it off by itself. In silence the two watched it smolder and go out, “I see,” said the man.

Those of you who have tended a fireplace know that a single log does not burn for long; it only happens when the log has been in close proximity to other logs in the fire for an extended period of time, and in many instances, not even then. Two logs burning in a fireplace provide sufficient warmth to allow the wood gasses to escape and to ignite. The flames rise up and produce light and warmth. Remove one of those logs, and shortly thereafter the flames will cease.

I am sure that many of you have experienced the richness of fellowship and the joy that accompanies meeting with a few Christians who take their journey seriously. These are times of refreshment, encouragement, and solace. For this reason the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews exhorts us Christians to not give up meeting together, but to encourage one another.

This same principle applies to our work in organizations. It only takes a moment to encourage one another, to encourage someone to go the extra mile in service, or encourage doing something with excellence as opposed to simply going through the motions.

Many years ago, while a member of a Christian men’s group, I resigned a very good corporate job because I felt that I could no longer support the unethical actions of the corporation. My Christian brothers walked with me through that decision; they encouraged and supported me. I have often wondered since if I would have found the same strength of conviction without their support and encouragement. I fully believe that this encouragement led to empowerment, for we shared deeply of our lives and prayed for one another. Their encouragement allowed me to become a better witness to the presence of Christ in my life.

Encourage one another! Continue the journey!

Effective organizations engage in planning for the future. They don’t accept the idea that “we have always done it that way.” In today’s fast-paced world of change, it behooves us to consider the likelihood of changes in our environment and to formulate a plan of action. Absent such a plan, we engage in reaction. We may even run off the road and wreck the organization! We need to anticipate the turns in our organizational travels and formulate a strategy for effectively dealing with them. Is your strategic plan current? Proaction or reaction? The choice is yours!