Devotional

“Individual commitment to a group effort—that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work.” —Vince Lombardi 

Have you ever studied why geese fly as they do? It’s fascinating to read what has been discovered about their flight pattern and in-flight habits.  

Did you know those flying in front rotate their leadership? When the lead goose gets tired, it changes places with one in the wing of the formation.  

Did you know that by flying as they do, the members of the flock create an upward air current for one another? Each flap of the wings literally creates lift for the bird immediately following, affording the group a much greater flying range than if each goose flew on its own.  

Did you know if one goose gets sick or wounded, two fall out of formation with it and follow it down to help and protect it? They stay with the struggling goose until it’s able to fly again.  

Did you know the geese in the rear of the formation are the ones who do the honking? Scientists believe it’s their way of announcing they’re following, and that all is well, encouraging those ahead to press on.  

Whether it’s rotating, flapping, helping, or honking, each bird plays a vital role. The flock is in it together.  

The apostle Paul speaks of the body of Christ as being in it together: “Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many” (1 Corinthians 12:12-14). 

He then described the beauty of God’s creating diversity within this one body—a foot can’t say to the hand, “because I’m not a hand, I’m not needed.” The ear can’t say to the eye, “I don’t need you.” But in fact, there’s interdependence among the many parts. They need one another. If there is a missing or non-functioning part, it’s a handicap. 

Paul explains: “But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be” (1 Corinthians 12:18). He’s orchestrated the body as He sees fit. Your role is as He desires.  

Rotating, flapping, helping or honking, “Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it” (1 Corinthians 12:27). 

What parts do you and those around you play? How are we living up to our roles? The rest of the body depends on us. 

My prayer this week —Heavenly Father, thank you for the reminder that you’ve placed me in the body of Christ. Will you help me see my role more clearly, and to serve more faithfully as a vital part of the whole?