Got Synergy?

Good morning! Are you familiar with the word “synergy?” Synergy is defined by the American Heritage Dictionary as “The interaction of two or more agents or forces so that their combined effect is greater than the sum of their individual effects.” It is this idea of synergy that I would like to focus on this morning.

Over the weekend, we had a workday at our church where we undertook a long list of spring cleaning chores. Now we have had workdays before and have always been able to accomplish quite a bit of work, however; this time was different. We were joined by a group of 15 or so college students from South Carolina for the day. With the addition of this group of individuals our spring cleaning also became a spring cleanout and we were able to distribute 300 fliers to our community.

When a group of people work together, utilizing their individual strengths and gifts for the larger of good of the group amazing things can happen. The idea of “synergy” has floated around corporate circles for many years, but it shouldn’t be a new idea, because God created us to work in unison with others. Look at the following passage from 1 Corinthians:

1 Corinthians 12:27 (NLT)

Now all of you together are Christ's body, and each one of you is a separate and necessary part of it.

God did not create cookie cutter people. Each of is uniquely individual with unique gifts, talents and abilities. On our own, we can accomplish some things, but we fall far short of accomplishing monumental things. However, when we are coupled with the uniqueness of others our effectiveness is not added to, but multiplied.

Think of an orchestra that was only made up of trumpets. That might be ok for a song or two, but it would be missing something. Now when the strings, percussion, woodwinds and other pieces of brass are added there is a beauty that the trumpet alone could never match. It is only when these separate instruments are played at their individual best in the context of a group that beautiful music is made.

Unfortunately, too many of us try to live like Lone Ranger Christians. How quickly we forget that even the Lone Ranger needed his trusty horse Silver and his faithful companion Tonto. The Christian life was never meant to be a life of isolation. God never intended for us to try to be the complete fulfillment of the body of Christ on our own. To be truly effective in the Christian life, we need the uniqueness of those God has placed around us.

This week take time to give thanks to God for the individuality of those around you. Recognize the way their presence makes you better and realize that when God asks you to accomplish “God-sized” tasks, He has already surrounded you with the people who will help make it possible.

Until next Monday, may God’s richest blessings be yours this week.

Carl