Warning: Order is Easier to Create Than Keep

Gary Harpst • February 27, 2023

The extreme example of this truth is family. Getting married is a form of bringing order.

Out of all the possible relationships two people commit to a unique relationship with each other. But keeping a good marriage is much more difficult than getting married.

Why? Two reasons: The first is time. Getting married takes a year or two of courtship, being married takes a lifetime. People change over a lifetime which leads to unmet expectations.

Second is growth. Most relationships lead to growth – marriage leads to children, grand-children, in-laws, etc. Businesses lead to more products, employees and customers. Growth leads to complexity and communication challenges. It gets increasingly more difficult to stay ‘one’ with others.

The biblical principle for coping with this is making the relationship the first priority. The bond among people has to be an end unto itself, not just a means to an end.

The commitment to each other (love) has to be stronger than the chaos of everyday life whether at home or at work. In the business world this translates to caring for people because it is the right thing to do, not because you can get more out of people. To lead well we have to care honestly.

Order is Easier to Create Than Keep

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