Wednesday, September 26, 2012

The Lesson of the Geese continued


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

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