Believing is seeing in the family business

In my last reflection, Gideon overhears the Midianites discussing a dream projecting Gideon’s victory. With this knowledge of the enemy’s fear, Gideon plans and executes his battle strategy:

As soon as Gideon heard the telling of the dream and its interpretation, he worshiped. And he returned to the camp of Israel and said, “Arise, for the LORD has given the host of Midian into your hand.” And he divided the 300 men into three companies and put trumpets into the hands of all of them and empty jars, with torches inside the jars. So Gideon and the hundred men who were with him came to the outskirts of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch, when they had just set the watch. And they blew the trumpets and smashed the jars that were in their hands. Then the three companies blew the trumpets and broke the jars. They held in their left hands the torches, and in their right hands the trumpets to blow. And they cried out, “A sword for the LORD and for Gideon!” Every man stood in his place around the camp, and all the army ran. They cried out and fled. (Judges 7:15-16 & 19-21)

Gideon’s severely reduced army is about to battle an army of thousands. Knowing their fear, Gideon surrounds the camp at night with torches concealed by jars. He surprises the enemy by simultaneously breaking the jars and blowing trumpets. The Midianites, already on edge, see and hear, and thus believe, that they are surrounded, despite the reality of Gideon’s small number of soldiers. Chaos ensues, and they flee. Gideon’s army, made smaller by God, appears larger than the enemy with a bold strategy that took advantage of the Midianites’ mindset.  

Our beliefs and mindset have a huge impact on what we see, and how we face, our circumstances. If fear and anger and suspicion form the basis of our worldview, then our family situations, relationships, and organizational cultures will be dark and toxic. If we approach every family business interaction as competitive, then our relationships will be rivalrous and shallow. Of course, we must be realistic: some situations are really bad, and some people are perpetually difficult. But if our starting point is based in fear and anger, instead of hope and faith, life will be forever difficult.

Have you ever noticed how your initial thoughts, your attitude, or your beliefs influenced a situation with a family member or business partner? How do you maintain a faithful and hopeful outlook when circumstances, or other people, are challenging?