Word of the Week - Harmony
"How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity (Harmony)!!! It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron’s beard, down on the collar of his robe. It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion. For there the Lord bestows His blessing, even life forevermore." Psalm 133
Harmony is the state of living with an agreeable and conforming spirit towards others with greater shared values and purpose in mind. Similar to a “Willing Spirit” from last week’s “Word of the Week” see below, Harmony in relationship is such a blessing but is not easily achieved. We all desire to live in a Harmonistic state with those around us but for some reason we often find ourselves in disharmony, especially with those closest to us. I believe the key to living in Harmony with others is sharing and agreeing on core values and submitting ourselves to a higher purpose grounded in our core values/beliefs. For me as a follower of Christ, this translates into submitting my life to Christ and standing on the God’s Word as a basis for a higher purpose. I believe our human sinful nature makes us more geared toward independence and disharmony so a person without God will find themselves continually disagreeing, pushing their own agenda and creating discourse in relationship. This is very prevalent in our culture today, where it seems to be more popular to look for things we don’t agree on and take issue with, then to look for common ground that we can stand on to build a base of Harmony to work from. This approach is very divisive and creates much discourse and division in our world. That being said, we all have the opportunity to live in peace and Harmony if we choose to do so. So how do we find Harmony with others when we have different perspectives and convictions?
Start with common ground – In most cases, if we are in relationship with someone, we already have lots of common ground, especially if they are friend or family and close to us. Even in situations with colleagues at work and in other settings, we generally share basic values. The key is to start with the things that you do share and work from there. If we take time to explore what is important and really matters to each person then you build a base to stand on, which establishes shared values and Harmony. In our business we spend lots of time discussing our shared values, vision, and purpose because it gives us connectivity that builds trust, strength and Harmony. There are many things that we may see different as individuals, which if used correctly can be a strength, but it does not have to undermine the Harmony of the team. We should always place the team/families shared values, vision and purpose above our own personal preferences.
Define the Majors and Minors – It is important to ensure that we don’t confuse values and principle with preferences. Harmony is not uniformity, we all have different and unique personalities and methods of day to day living. These preferences and techniques should not be confused with the principle and essence of what really matters. Many times we get more focused on the how than the what and why. It is important for us to keep perspective on the bigger perspective and be able to keep focus on what really matters, we don’t need to Major in the Minors. As it relates to our faith, there are a few essentials that are the foundation of Christianity that cannot be compromised such as the Cross, Trinity, and the fact that Jesus is the only way to God the Father. But there are many preferences that are not essential such as your denomination, style of worship, or the type of music played at church.
Be willing to yield and compromise – One of the keys to finding Harmony with others is humility and the willingness to yield and compromise. If we have any self-awareness, we understand that we are flawed sinners, and all have issues and blind spots. We also understand that there is power and protection in relationship and team; we are better together! This should make us value others and their thoughts and opinions, especially when different from our own. From that perspective, we should approach relationships with a posture and willingness to yield and compromise when needed because it is much better to be unified in Harmony with some compromise than to be divided and right. We don’t want to win a battle and lose the war. We must always seek to do what is in the best interest of the greater purpose for our family, church, business etc. This is the right thing to do and makes life much more productive, Harmonistic and enjoyable. “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace” Ephesians 4:2-3
Harmony is a choice to sacrifice our personal agenda for the greater good of the “team” whether that team is family, ministry, or organization. Harmony generates peace and progress. Whenever leaders come into Harmony and unity, those they are leading are also likely to follow. So, let’s choose to pursue Harmony and see what God can do through our Harmonistic relationships.
“We must learn to live together as brothers & sisters or perish as fools” Dr. Martin Luther King
I pray you have a week filled with peace and Harmony!
Thanks,
Duane