Up north as the Autumn months begin, there are certain signs that that I would look for to signal the season: the color of leaves changing, the days getting shorter, and the sound of geese flying south. One Fall I saw over a hundred flying together, Maybe, we can learn something from them.
“A LESSON FROM THE GEESE”
As each bird flaps its wings, it creates an “uplift” for the bird following. By flying in a V formation, the whole flock adds 71% flying range than if each bird flew alone.
Lesson : People who share a common direction and sense of community can get where they are going quicker and easier because they are traveling on the thrust of one another.
Whenever a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of trying to fly alone, and quickly gets back into formation to take advantage of the “lifting power” of the bird immediately in front.
Lesson : If we have as much sense as a goose, we will stay in formation with those who are headed where we want to go.
When the lead goose gets tired, it rotates back into the formation and another goose flies at the point position.
Lesson : It pays to take turns doing the hard tasks, and sharing leadership — with people as with geese — shows that we need to depend on each other.
The geese in formation honk from behind to encourage those up front to keep up their speed.
Lesson : We need to make sure our honking from behind is encouraging — not something less helpful.
When a goose gets sick or wounded or shot down, two geese drop out of formation and follow him down to help and protect him. They stay with him until he is either able to fly again or dies. Then they launch out on their own, with another formation or to catch up with their flock.
Lesson : If we have as much sense as the geese, we’ll stand by each other like that.
As we travel together serving the mission of our Lord Jesus Christ, wouldn’t it be wise to travel together. Has your position been empty in Christ’s flock? Has your honking been less than encouraging? Are there members who sit alone forgotten by our flock? Have you been flying aimlessly in circles or, with His flock, toward our Lord, Jesus Christ?
Pastor Baker