In Marriage Teamwork Makes

The Dream Work

Work It Out Team
Pastor Ricky and Sheila Floyd

In my quest to be a relevant pastor I have noticed similar scenarios between marriage and employment relationships. Many companies are looking for good employees and are unable to find them. There are people who desire godly relationships and are equally unsuccessful. Some are already married and can't find God in their relationships. There was a time when 40 year marriages and 40 years of employment with the same company was a way of life. Few people know anyone like this now. It may seem that because of the ills of society and the progress of technology that the 40/40 Club has become a thing of the past.

Just like in some employment relationships, some marriage relationships may be considered now that would not have been considered in the past. You may have had your Denzel Washington, LL Cool J, Halle Berry, or Beyoncé posters on your wall, but the reality is you may end up with a Forest Whitaker or a Whoopi Goldberg. They may not look the role, but they may be the help that is suitable for you. We need to begin to look at marriage the way we look at jobs. Many spouses won’t submit to or comply with the human resources available to them. Potential spouses fail to obtain background checks on their partners and don’t investigate their job/salary history or view credit reports. They get a “good feeling” and dive in. Some spouses treat their employment relationships better than their family relationships.

If many would apply the team concepts they use on the job and bring them home, family life would be more pleasant. They wouldn’t think of showing up to the job late or missing a day. They might give 6 months advanced notice for time off. If asked to do overtime, they look at it as an opportunity for favor and advancement. But if a wife asks her husband to go into overtime by returning to the store because she forgot to put bread on the list, husbands might use language they wouldn’t want church members to know they knew. Some are committed to jobs where they have been passed over for promotions and have trained their younger replacements, all while wearing a smile. Then they go home and get angry because dinner was not hot or on time, making the rest of the evening miserable for the entire family.

Below are 4 suggestions to help you become a successful spouse as well as a successful employee.

1. Find out what your strengths and weaknesses are. I once had an interview for a sales position and the interviewer asked me what my strengths were. I did a tremendous job of selling myself, but then he asked what my weaknesses were. A stuttering frenzy came upon me and I didn't want to share them for fear he would not hire me. Many have not identified or shared their weaknesses with the person they are entering into covenant relationship with. Unfortunately, these divine connections are probably with someone who is strong in areas where they are weak.

2. Find out the needs of the company or the person you are entering into covenant relationship with. Even though we may have immediate needs of our own, we should not enter into covenant relationships based on getting our needs met. You may have bills due today, but it doesn't mean that you quit one job and take on a new job with just any company because they promised you a raise or a few more benefits. Too many relationships are formed out of desperation instead of divine inspiration. It’s lustful to think only of what you can get from the relationship. Love says, “This is what I can do for you.” Make sure you marry for passion, not convenience.

3. Be willing to submit to Human Resources. The Human Resources Department is responsible for doing background checks/training to determine your work, integrity, and accountability level. Excellent resumes don’t always mean excellent employees. The Human Resource department is responsible for finding out if this is the type of person that will help the vision come to pass. Many spouses make costly mistakes by refusing counseling and wonder why it seems as if their marriage doesn’t fit the vision. The average HR Department spends up to $7K to make sure you are the right fit for the company.

4. Make decisions based on what's profitable for the company or the marriage. Be not conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Renew your mind to think that if it’s good for the team it’s good for me. On the job you can’t always have it your way. TEAMWORK MAKES THE DREAM WORK.