Donaldsons' monthly message: June 2020
Donaldsons' monthly message: June 2020
1 June 2020
Poppy the dog features in Commissioners Janine and Robert Donaldsons’ monthly update for June.
In their monthly message to Salvationists, Australia Territory leaders, Commissioners Janine and Robert Donaldson talk about working together to achieve a goal.
COL-LABOR-ATE means to ‘labor’ together to achieve something.
For many of us, our minds will quickly move to the example of a sports team. And you guessed it, being a New Zealander, my mind goes quickly to the All Blacks – the most successful professional sports team in the world! Fifteen players on the field, 15 different positions, 15 different functions, each performing their individual roles but working together to score points and win the game.
The players discuss strategies and tactics, put effort into understanding each other’s roles and make sure that what one does joins up with what another does. They communicate regularly and clearly with each other about what’s happening on the field, cheering each other on and working together for a common goal. Individual players are credited with points, but it’s the team total that matters most.
Remember, there’s no ‘i’ in ‘team’, and Together Each Achieves More.
There’s a good story about collaboration in the Bible, in Acts 6. As the Church grew, “there were rumblings of discontent” about the distribution of food. The apostles said: “We should spend our time teaching the word of God, not running a food program.” So, they selected seven respected people, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, and gave them the responsibility. And the result? People liked the outcome and the number of believers greatly increased!
There’s also a story in Nehemiah when the people’s efforts to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem were being challenged by attacks from their enemies. So, they appointed half to build and half to defend. Together they built the wall.
And then there is the well-known biblical description of the Body of Christ (the Church) in Romans, Corinthians and Ephesians. “Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other. In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well” (Romans 12:4-6). Paul, the author, also says, “The eye can never say to the hand, ‘I don’t need you.’ The head can’t say to the feet, ‘I don’t need you.’ This makes for harmony among the members so that all the members care for each other. If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honoured, all the parts are glad” (1 Corinthians 12:21, 25-26).
Whatever way you look at it – team or body – doesn’t matter. The Salvation Army in Australia has one goal. It’s a goal that requires collaboration to achieve:
Wherever there is hardship or injustice, Salvos will live, love and fight, alongside others, to transform Australia one life at a time with the love of Jesus.
Let’s col-labor-ate to achieve our goal.
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