A blessing for a sibling partnership
1 John 2:10-11
Sibling relationships in a family business can be both a strength and a weakness. The trust that is often implicit between brothers and sisters can be a powerful force in the division of labor and in the agility of the enterprise. Siblings united often seem unstoppable.
But siblings divided can sink the ship. The cost of unmanaged family conflict affects colleagues and customers. It stresses the entire system, and can be one of the biggest risks to the continuation of the company.
This offering recognizes the origins and power of sibling relationships, and seeks a blessing for a successful partnership between brothers and sisters in the family enterprise.
This bond as siblings Begun as children in innocence Fostered through time shared in work and in play Resulting in admiration and affection, though not always expressed. This bond as business partners Begun as adults in hope Based on complementary skills, strengths, and trust With the goal of creating, or continuing, a successful business. This bond between us is often tested By our children, our spouses, our customers, or our staff By our own egos and our different goals and styles And the ties between us can begin to fray. At times we let each other down We find ourselves working, but not together We say or do things that hurt one another Or we remain silent, when a kind word would mean so much. As we look to the future, we ask God to bless us with A commitment to simply talk with each other The care, patience, and skill to listen to one another’s concerns The wisdom to offer help, or a challenge, at the right time And the humility to know when to apologize and reconcile. For if we face the world arm-in-arm as siblings, our accomplishments will be a blessing upon our families.
Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling. But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes. (1 John 2:10-11)
Prior blessings: For the end of a family business partnership, for grandparents in the family business, for those experiencing family estrangement, for your estate planning efforts, for a family business gathering, upon the passing of a family business member, for rest, for the next generation’s return, for the senior generation letting go, and for the new year.