When We Share Our Resources, We All Win
Redwood trees in California can grow to over 300 feet in the air. With such height, it would be natural to assume they have a deep root system. To the surprise of most, redwoods actually have very shallow roots and they spread out in every direction. Because of this, the roots of all the trees in the same area are intertwined. As a result, they end up supporting one another and helping each other stand, even in high winds.
Have you ever seen a redwood standing alone? Google it and you won't see any standing by themselves. This is because they actually need one another to survive.
Back in 1990, Reader's Digest published a piece titled "What Good is a Tree?" In the article, science editor Lowell Ponte explained that when roots of different trees touch, a fungus develops in the soil that reduces competition between them. In fact, this substance helps to link the roots of different trees―even of dissimilar species.
In this way, an entire forest can be bound together underground. This link makes it possible for one tree that has access to water, a second tree that has access to nutrients, and a third tree that receives sunlight to share their resources with one another. When they share their resources, they all win.
If we look at the world around us, we discover that God has woven the need for teamwork into the very fabric of the world. Leaders and good teammates alike don't hoard resources―they share them.
The day of the successful lone wolf and contented hermit are gone. We do things better, we produce more, and we live with more meaning and impact by helping one another. Ironically, the person who lends a helping hand benefits himself while helping others.
The power of teamwork makes the difference between a good team and a bad team, a strong company and a poor one, or an effective organization and an ineffective one.
When we share our resources, we all win.