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Ecclesiastes 4: 9 - 12
Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
Most of us are familiar with the tag line at the end of verse 12, “A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” While this statement is true in the literal sense, God uses it symbolically to represent teamwork and the safety found in numbers. In the first verse, He reminds us that the productivity of two working together will produce a bigger yield than two working individually. The next two verses confirm our need for help when we fall. Again, we have a literal truth that we can apply symbolically to an illness or a spiritual attack. Finally, God closes this passage referring to the safety of numbers, “Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves.” Obviously, there is strength in numbers. This is true in physical confrontations, as well as sports and the animal kingdom.
Most football coaches give much time and thought to devising plays to isolate a defensive player. It starts with disguising what you are going to do. The next step is double-teaming the defensive player at the point of attack. They know that the odds of a running back breaking through the line are greatly increased if they can “outman” the defense.
In the animal kingdom, predators instinctively know they will be more successful if they can isolate one animal from the herd. Identifying an injured or weakened target greatly enhances the odds even further. Satan, the oldest predator in our world, is no different. He knows our weaknesses. He knows when we are down. He uses the weakness of our flesh against us. He craftily tries to deceive using the circumstances around us.
As Church Facility Managers and Christians, we face challenges every day. Most days we can handle them and move on. Then there are “those” days. You know the ones I’m referring to; where one of the sanctuary condensers is down, two custodians don’t show up, the church van won’t start, and your spouse is upset because you won’t be home for the birthday party. It doesn’t take many of those days to feel down or under attack. Satan loves to add weight to our load at times like these. He wants us to feel isolated and stressed. He's giddy at the prospect of us feeling frustrated or hopeless. His end goal is that we reach our burnout point. Remember that “three-stranded cord"?
For me, the three-stranded cord represents my Heavenly Father, the NACFM and my humble self. I need not remind you how important God’s role is in both our personal and professional lives. By nature, most Facility Managers are independent individuals. I know that applies to me. The NACFM provides many resources for us: education, research papers, industry information, the newsletter, the user forum, and peer networking to name a few.
We don’t have to feel isolated. We don’t have to feel like no one understands what we face on the job every day. We don’t have to believe what the great deceiver is whispering in our ear. Your peers in this organizations understand. They get it. They live it every day just like you and me. Reach out to other members. Post questions on the forum. Don’t forget to answer questions on the forums when they relate to your background. If you haven’t been to a training session, if you haven’t been to a conference, if you don’t have a local chapter, you may not know another member. You are still not alone. Reach out to a board member. We are here to help. We don’t have all the answers, but we will try to help. Am I serious? My name is Gary Robinson. My direct phone number is 615-589-6914. You are not alone! You are one strand in a cord of three strands. Your Lord and the NACFM are here to stand with you.
Blessings to you my Brothers and Sisters. Don’t forget to pray for the NACFM and its members.
Yours in Christ,
Gary Robinson
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 How Side Meetings Destroy Team Unity
One of the most destructive things to team unity is when team members have side meetings after the main meeting.
The main meeting may be a staff meeting or elder meeting or lead team meeting.
The side meeting after the main meeting is where two or more people have an off the record talk to discuss what just happened in the main meeting. Though side meetings are common they are also destructive to team unity.
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