"Look at the birds. They don't need to plant or harvest or put food
in barns because your heavenly Father feeds them. And you are far more
valuable to him than they are." (Matthew 6:26)

Next fall, when you see geese heading south for the winter, flying
along in "V" formation, you might consider what science has discovered
as to why they fly that way. As each bird flaps its wings, it creates
uplift for the bird immediately following. By flying in "V" formation,
the whole flock adds at least 71 percent greater flying range than if
each bird flew on its own.

In a church people who share a common direction and sense of community
can get where they are going more quickly and easily because they are
traveling on the thrust of one another.

When 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 in front.
If we have as much sense as a goose, we will stay in formation with
those people who are headed in the same direction as we are. When the
lead goose gets tired, it rotates back in the formation and another
goose takes its place and flies point.

No church community should have only a few people doing all the work.
It is sensible to take turns doing demanding jobs, whether with people
or with geese flying south.

Geese honk from behind to encourage those up front to keep up their
speed.

In a church we should continually encourage one another rather than
criticize and tear down.

Finally and this is most important - when a goose gets sick or is
wounded and falls out of formation, two other geese fall out with that
goose and follow it down to lend help and protection. They stay with
the fallen goose until it is able to fly or until it dies, and only
then do they launch out on their own, or with another formation to
catch up with their group.

In a church we should surround the sick and wounded with love and care
until they rebound and can in return do the same for others.