Team Work

So, being part of the Salvation Army and being in the band requires me to do "devotions" or bible reading and thought, every so often after band rehearsal and this week its my turn. This is what I put together:

Teamwork is the collective effort of a group of persons who work efficiently to accomplish a set goal.
Teamwork is more than simply working together. Teamwork involves a unified group focusing mainly on the task at hand and getting that task done efficiently.
One of the challeges that should be overcome when different personalities work together, is not allowing different skillsets, attitudes and viewpoints to get in the way of the desired goal. Each person on the team must make compromises in order to attain the desired goal.

There are many Bible verses that apply directly and indirectly to teamwork such as:

"For just as we have in one body many members, but the members do not all have the same function, so we, although many, are one body in union with Christ, but members belonging individually to one another." - Romans 12:4,5

- 1 Corinthians 1:10 says:

"Now I exhort YOU, brothers, through the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that YOU should all speak in agreement, and that there should not be divisions among YOU, but that YOU may be fitly united in the same mind and in the same line of thought."

A successful family and any other team, is a result of mutual respect, cooperation, diligence and a sincere desire to reach the goals set by the family/team.

Now Geese are an exceptional example to teamwork for example:

As each goose flaps its wings it creates an "uplift" for the birds that follow. By flying in a "V" formation, the whole flock adds 71% greater flying range than if each bird flew alone.

When a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of flying alone. It quickly moves back into formation to take advantage of the lifting power of the bird immediately in front of it

When the lead goose tires, it rotates back into formation and another goose flies to the point position.

The geese flying in formation honk to encourage those up front to keep up their speed.

When a goose gets sick, wounded or shot down, two geese drop out of formation and follow it to help and protect it. They stay with it until it dies or is able to fly again. Then, they launch out with another formation or catch up with the flock.

What can we learn from this?

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.

If we have as much sense as a goose we stay in formation with those headed where we want to go. We are willing to accept their help and give our help to others.

It pays to take turns doing the hard tasks and sharing leadership. As with geese, people are interdependent on each other's skills, capabilities and unique arrangements of gifts, talents or resources.

We need to make sure our honking is encouraging. In groups where there is encouragement, the production is much greater. The power of encouragement (to stand by one's heart or core values and encourage the heart and core of others) is the quality of honking we seek.

If we have as much sense as geese, we will stand by each other in difficult times as well as when we are strong.

Our goal or task as a band is to spread the gospel to others through music.

My only hope and prayer is that we don’t lose sight of that goal, that goal we are all here to do together, united as a band and as individual musicians striving to play our best for God.

I hope this post has been benificial to you in some way or another :)

peas.