Therefore
encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.
I Thessalonians 5:11
Lesson 2: Share the Lead
The formation of geese might seem disturbed from time to time, but
that is by design, in that they are relieving the lead goose. Because the lead
goose has no other goose to break-up the wind current or cut through the air or
provide that “uplift,” he must work harder than the other geese. So as the lead goose gets tired, the other
geese take their turns in the lead goose position.
As a church, the pastor is the Lead
Goose most of the time, but if we expect him to lead in every ministry and at
every function and with every project, he will wear out and our overall
performance as a church will suffer. The
same is true for some individuals in the church that we lean on for too
much! The pastor and other leaders need
to have sufficient time to prioritize and minister to those who need it most at
that particular time. A private
conversation with these persons might reveal a task that must be done
repeatedly, that others could do just as well, freeing them from getting burned
out.
As we apply this “shared leadership” lesson, learned from the
geese, let’s think of each ministry within the Church, as a smaller flock of
geese. Whether we are speaking of the
choir, a youth group, a Sunday school class, a women’s group, a men’s group, or
any other ministry or committee within the Church; if we expect the leader or
head of that group to perform alone, without our support and help, their
efficiency will suffer. Many times, we
will shy away from leadership because it might include being the spokesman for
that particular group. But shared
leadership doesn’t necessarily mean total replacement. Volunteering to arrive early and set-up the
room or staying late and helping to clean-up can be a tremendous relief to the leader
of a group. As concerned Christians,
Servants of Christ, and members of our local church, we should take our turn
being the lead goose.
Lesson 3: Care for the Weak or Wounded
When
one goose becomes sick or injured, two more geese fall out of formation and
follow the sick or injured goose to the ground. These other two geese will nurture, feed and
protect the sick one until it is able to fly, or it dies. Then the two or three geese will either hurry
to catch up with the original flock or join another flock heading in the same
direction, until they reach their destination, then join with their original
flock. Can we learn a lesson from this
action? When a Church member falls out
of formation for any physical, spirtiual or emotional reason, do we go help
nurture them back to health until they can rejoin the original group? Galatians 6:1
says, “Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any
trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness,
considering yourself lest you also be tempted.” Romans 15: 1-2
says, “We then who are strong ought to bear with
the scruples of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please
his neighbor for his good, leading to edification.”
We need to do exactly what the geese do in caring
for our brother or sister in Christ who needs help. Remember that because of
what we have been through in our lives, sometimes we can help others get
through similar tough times.
Christ lifts us up as well. Where we are weak, He is strong. He never intended for us to make it
alone. Take this lesson from the geese
to heart, look around and pay attention to others, see their need and help
them.
Scripture to Claim:
Two
are better than one because they have a good return for their labor. For if
either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one
who falls when there is not another to lift him up. Ecclesiastes 4:9-10
