The Consequences of Founder’s Disease

WEEKLY DEVOTIONAL BY PATRICE TSAGUE

Did you know that God desires your business to last for at least three generations?
Did you know that this promise is conditional?
Have you considered the consequences of your actions and the effect they can have on your children and grandchildren?

“But now your kingdom shall not continue. The Lord has sought for Himself a man after His own heart, and the Lord has commanded him to be commander over His people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you.” – 1 Samuel 13:14 (NKJV)

The Consequences of Founder’s Disease

According to studies conducted by the Small Business Administration and others, most businesses fail within ten years, and most family businesses do not make it beyond the third generation. However, it does not have to be so! God wants us to build Kingdom businesses that can not only survive, but also multiply and prosper for at least three generations.

A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children, but the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous. – Proverbs 13:22 (NKJV)

The key, however, to successfully building multi-generational businesses, is to avoid what I like to call Founder’s Disease. Founder’s Disease occurs when the founder of a business or organization is so consumed with himself that his sense of entitlement hinders him from receiving input from others and allowing others to hold him accountable.

Although this disease is common among the original founders, leaders who joined the organization later are not immune to it. Like any other disease, Founder’s Disease can have serious consequences including:

1. A stressful life void of true peace and joy
2. Causing harm to others 
3. Physical death
4. Inability to pass blessings to your children

And Samuel said to Saul, “You have done foolishly. You have not kept the commandment of the LORD your God, which He commanded you. For now the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever.” – 1 Samuel 13:13 (NKJV)

God’s will for King Saul was that his descendants would reign over the kingdom of Israel forever. However, King Saul was afflicted with Founder’s Disease, and as a result, he lost everything, including the opportunity for his son to become the second king of Israel.  

We do not know how his other sons behaved, but by all accounts, we know that one of his sons, Jonathan, acted honorably. As a matter of fact, Jonathan was a good friend of David’s and did everything he could to protect David from his father’s plans to harm him. Jonathan did this even though he knew that David was a threat to his inheritance.

So Jonathan said to him, “By no means! You shall not die! Indeed, my father will do nothing either great or small without first telling me, and why should my father hide this thing from me?  It is not so!”  Then David took an oath again and said, “Your father certainly knows that I have found favor in your eyes, and he has said, do not let Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved, but truly, as the Lord lives and as your soul lives, there is but a step between me and death.”  So Jonathan said to David, “Whatever you yourself desire, I will do it for you.” – 1 Samuel 20:2-4 (NKJV)

Now Jonathan again caused David to vow, because he loved him; for he loved him as his own soul.  – 1 Samuel 20:17 (NKJV)

In spite of Jonathan’s faithfulness and loyalty, his father’s actions caused him and his brothers to lose their inheritance, and ultimately, to lose their lives.

Then the Philistines followed hard after Saul and his sons, and the Philistines killed Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchisshua, Saul’s sons. – 1 Samuel 31:2 (NKJV)

We often do not realize the impact our actions have on our loved ones. We can become so consumed with our lives and our personal goals, that we can fail to realize that what we do has a negative or positive impact on our children. A negative impact is not always reversible, and through our own lack of awareness, we risk making it much more difficult for our children to realize a life of promise.

“You shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love me and keep my commandments.” – Exodus 20:5-6 (NKJV)

If your parents, through their disobedience to God, did not pass His blessing on to you, know that your obedience to Christ during your lifetime, beginning with accepting Him as your Savior, can “reverse the curse” for you and for the generations that follow you. As long as your descendants do not forsake the Lord, they will not be affected by their ancestor’s actions.

Reflect upon your current actions. What type of legacy will you leave for your children and grandchildren?  

My prayer for you is that you will continually seek the Lord for wisdom and grace to ensure that you will leave a legacy of the fullness of God’s blessings, beginning with His redemptive love, upon your children and grandchildren, and that you will build your business in such a way that it will flourish for at least three generations.