I think I’ve mentioned before that my father was one of those men who had a really good concept of Common Sense and an understanding of how life was supposed to operate. Although a believer, his relationship with our Lord always seemed to be based or at least seen more from a practical perspective than a theological one.
Dad loved to hunt ducks and geese and even as a young lad I loved to go with him on those hunts. It was on one chilly day along the Illinois river that he relayed this story to me. I don’t know what prompted it but for some reason it has stuck in my mind to this day. It might have been triggered by something that was going on at church or not but the store holds a lesson we all should learn.
“Son, when you see geese heading north for the winter, flying along in V formation, you might be interested in knowing what science has discovered about why they fly that way. It has been learned that as each bird flaps its wings, it creates an uplift for the bird immediately following. By flying in a V- formation, the whole flock adds at least 71% greater flying range than if each bird flew on its own.
(Christians who share a common direction and a sense of community can get where they are going quicker and easier, because they are travelling on the thrust of one another).
Whenever a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of trying to go it alone, and quickly gets back into formation to take advantage of the lifting power of the bird immediately in front.
(If we have as much sense as a goose, we will stay in formation with those who are headed the same way we are going).
When the lead goose gets tired, he rotated back in the wing and another goose flies point. (It pays to take turns doing hard jobs - with people at church or with geese flying north). The geese honk from behind to encourage those up front to keep up their speed.
(What do we say when we honk from behind)?
Finally, (now I want to get this) when a goose gets sick, or is wounded by gun shot and falls out, two geese fall out of formation and follow him down to help and protect him. They stay with him until he is either able to fly, or until he is dead, and then they launch out on their own or with another formation to catch up with their original group.
(If people knew we would stand by them like that in church, they would push down these walls to get in).”
Lesson Given, Lesson Taken, Lesson Learned!
Dad loved to hunt ducks and geese and even as a young lad I loved to go with him on those hunts. It was on one chilly day along the Illinois river that he relayed this story to me. I don’t know what prompted it but for some reason it has stuck in my mind to this day. It might have been triggered by something that was going on at church or not but the store holds a lesson we all should learn.
“Son, when you see geese heading north for the winter, flying along in V formation, you might be interested in knowing what science has discovered about why they fly that way. It has been learned that as each bird flaps its wings, it creates an uplift for the bird immediately following. By flying in a V- formation, the whole flock adds at least 71% greater flying range than if each bird flew on its own.
(Christians who share a common direction and a sense of community can get where they are going quicker and easier, because they are travelling on the thrust of one another).
Whenever a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of trying to go it alone, and quickly gets back into formation to take advantage of the lifting power of the bird immediately in front.
(If we have as much sense as a goose, we will stay in formation with those who are headed the same way we are going).
When the lead goose gets tired, he rotated back in the wing and another goose flies point. (It pays to take turns doing hard jobs - with people at church or with geese flying north). The geese honk from behind to encourage those up front to keep up their speed.
(What do we say when we honk from behind)?
Finally, (now I want to get this) when a goose gets sick, or is wounded by gun shot and falls out, two geese fall out of formation and follow him down to help and protect him. They stay with him until he is either able to fly, or until he is dead, and then they launch out on their own or with another formation to catch up with their original group.
(If people knew we would stand by them like that in church, they would push down these walls to get in).”
Lesson Given, Lesson Taken, Lesson Learned!
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