Teamwork

(we can do more together than we can do alone)

Teamwork

The 2012 London Olympics were perhaps the most intriguing games I have seen.  There was the participation of a paraplegic runner from South Africa, a medal-winning, legally blind archer and the continued domination of Usain Bolt, the irrepressible Jamaican sprinter.

One of the most fascinating events is the men’s 4x100 meter relay.  The track is packed with 32 athletes all waiting to carry out their share of one lap around the track.  The action is fast and furious with batons passing, hopefully, within the designated zones.  With Bolt running the anchor leg, the winning Jamaican team posted a time of 36.84 seconds. That time was more than 7 seconds or 16% faster than the winner of the individual 400-meter race!  The pooling of the right collective talents can surely produce superior results to our own best efforts while standing alone.

“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another —and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”  Hebrews 10:24-25

The writer of Hebrews exhorts us to pool our talents within the church, our work and our community as well; to spur each other on, to root for the other person and to achieve collective success.  God doesn’t call each of us to win the world for Christ all by ourselves.  He doesn’t call us to help all the hurting people of our city all by ourselves.  But when we work together…each playing to their gifts and strengths?  That’s when circumstances can radically change.

Keep up the good work… and pass the baton when it’s time!

Thanks for all you do.

Brian

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Volume 6, Number 46