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There’s this old illustration you’ve probably heard. It’s the observation of the way geese fly together, they fly in a special formation. Have you ever seen them? They fly in a V formation to create an updraft, so they don’t get as tired and conserve their energy in long flights, and this allows the whole flock, especially those at the back, to fly further. And apparently each bird is helping the other. Apparently, engineers in the wind tunnel experiments have discovered that geese flying in this V formation can fly 72% further than by themselves flying alone. It’s amazing really.

And when the head goose gets tired, it falls back and another goose takes its place. And if a goose gets sick or wounded and has to come down to land, two other geese fall out of the formation, go with it to support it and protect it. They stay with it until it dies or is able to return. Then the geese try to catch up with their own flock or another formation of geese.

Life support

Quite a few lessons come to mind in that story. Dependence on others is a good thing. It can bring us into a unity of spirit that accomplishes much more with less effort while meeting the needs for each of us. Isn’t it true that by walking together, we can increase our strength? Going it alone, we must carry a load that we were never intended to carry, and it’s a great lesson about teamwork, working together.

We do, we need each other as we travel through life. Those who want to go it alone are missing out on so much. It doesn’t matter how gifted and talented a person is. If left out front in that V formation too long, that person will get overworked and feel used up. Life is about sharing resources together and not being too proud to ask for help when you need it.

It’s been said that if people had as much sense as geese, they would realise that ultimately their success depends on working as a team, taking turns during the hard tasks and sharing leadership. So here’s the point I’m trying to make this morning. People sharing a common direction and sense of common purpose will likely get where they’re going more quickly and easily as they’re uplifted by the support of each other.

It is harder to do something alone than together. Have you made that discovery? That’s why teamwork is such a good thing. Those who study bee behaviour notice that on a warm day, about half the bees in a hive stay inside beating their wings, while the other half go out and gather the pollen and nectar. And because of the beating wings, the temperature inside the hive is about 10 degrees cooler.

Outside, the bees rotate the duties, and the bees that cool the hive one day are honey gatherers the next. Very often, we must take more time with our words. We can be careless and hurtful in our speaking. The best-selling author of years ago, Andrew Carnegie, gave insight to this principle. He wrote, If you want to gather honey, don’t kick over the beehive. Think before you lash out at others.

Ask God to give you a better way to express your thoughts in an encouraging way. One shoe salesman said to his client, I’m sorry, madam, but your foot is too large for this shoe. But the other salesman said to his client, who was in a similar situation, I’m sorry, madam, but this shoe is small for your foot. You see, each salesman used almost the same words, but the one used the words more carefully and from a different perspective, and in the process secured a loyal and satisfied customer.

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God did not create us to go it alone. We need a few people in our lives that we really know that also know us, and we all need a place. We need a group where we can practise relationships and learn to love. And that’s where church fellowship is so helpful, joining with like-minded people. The Bible says in the Old Testament in Ecclesiastes 4:9, two people are better than one because they get more done by working together. It makes sense. You always get more done by working with other people. God has created us to be with others, not to go at it alone.

God wants to use you like he’s used people like Mother Teresa. She was not a lone person going out there to save the world. She had an army of sisters behind her, and it’s true that together, each of us can make a difference if we just do our little part.

Let’s Pray

Heavenly Father, this morning I thank you that life teaches us that it’s not good to be on our own totally. We do need solitude sometimes, but we need each other. We need encouragement and help and advice, and sometimes people are placed there, Lord, in a way that you have done for us to learn. Amen.

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