The invention of the car has completely revolutionised the world, wouldn’t you agree? From a standing start of zero in 1886, there are now over 1.5 billion vehicles on the road. But it wasn’t until 1913, when Ford perfected mass production, that things really took off.

In the early days, Henry Ford thought that success rested on his own genius. His first attempts failed — too costly, too slow. Then came the shift. Ford gathered a team of engineers, mechanics and business minds. People like Charles Sorensen and the brilliant production manager Peter Martin helped sharpen his ideas.

Together they pioneered the moving assembly line, cutting production time for a Model T from twelve hours to just 90 minutes. Alone, Ford could build a car. With a team, he built an industry and put the world on wheels.

All too often we want to go it alone, imagining that we can make it happen through our own ingenuity and energy. After all, leading teams of cantankerous individuals who sometimes want to head off in different directions is hard work. But the truth is that …

Proverbs 27:17 Iron sharpens iron, and one person sharpens the wits of another. (NRSV)

Sparks fly when iron sharpens iron, but if there’s one thing I’ve learned over almost fifty years in the workforce, it’s this: though I can go faster alone, I simply can’t go as far.

Yep, the different skills, perspectives, ideas around the table can cause sparks to fly. But they also achieve the greatest results. So, don’t be afraid of the sparks, because just as iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens the wits of another.

That’s God’s Word. Fresh … for you … today.