“Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” Philippians 2:4 (ESV)
I have been on a couple mountain bike mission trips to China and Tibet. One thing that stood out to me was the benefit of riding as a group. At one point we were climbing some steep terrain. Riders would come alongside others who were struggling getting up the hill and simply put their hand on them, together they rode the steep incline with greater ease. The one rider didn’t push, or use any more energy. Just a hand on the back of the struggling rider made all the difference in the world. And together both would make it to the top victoriously!
Another thing I learned was the concept of drafting. This would happen when a rider in front would allow another to come within inches of the side of their back wheel. I mean we’d get eerily close to each other. There could easily be a crash if one bumps the other. But the benefit for the drafting rider is that the energy required to ride the same speed as the front rider is greatly reduced. And it does not require the lead rider to exert any extra effort to pull the other along through the vortex he is making. But what is required is they stay close! The crazy thing is, many can come into this drafting position behind another, and thus all benefit from the lead rider. Then how this works, the lead rider would push it hard for as long as he could, and then simply back out and the take up the rear. The second rider now becomes the lead rider who cuts through for the others as long as he can, and so on!
What great examples of leadership, humility and unity! Together we are better, but it does come with a cost! In our leadership we can’t blaze so far ahead of others that they don’t benefit from our leading the way. We must allow others to be close enough to journey together, and we may be at risk of bumping into one another. But it is worth the risk. Together we are better, and together we can climb this big mountain facing us today!
Pray that we would truly look out for each other’s interest as much as our own, starting with yourself! Ask God to increase the unity, humility and vulnerability in your church. Pray that your pastor would allow others close enough to “draft” him and benefit with his walk with Jesus. Pray that other leaders in your church would do the same, creating a culture of oneness and trust. Pray for your pastor to do the same with other pastors in our city. Cry out that the truth of “together we are better” would ring true across our city as we endeavor to maintain the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace (Ephesians 4:3).
