Dec 19 2019 Ephesians 4:14-16

We take our lead from Christ, who is the source of everything we do. He keeps us in step with each other. His very breath and blood flow through us, nourishing us so that we will grow up healthy in God, robust in love. (Translation: The Message)
In a former job, I was responsible for pulling together the strategic plan for a city department that hadn’t had one. To be clear, they had goals – big, lofty, important purposes for being. But day to day, they struggled to stay on the same page. At a kick-off meeting with the leadership, I likened their plan to a family that had all decided to go on a vacation. They agreed on going, but that was about. Dad was checking on flights to Vegas, mom was ready to book a cruise, and the kids were certain they were headed to Disney World. They were all preparing for a trip, but what was missing was a level of agreement that allowed all work to be productive. Add to their plan that they were flying to Florida, and everyone could embark and increasingly efficient tasks. This analogy works when what matters are the tasks and the individual work products put together by the team. And to be clear, it’s critical that they all first agreed on the trip.

The challenges are a little different for a short-term mission team. However, it’s still critical to be on the same page about some things. Thinking about Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, I would suggest that’s what’s most important is different than a city government department. In my family analogy, I think what’s most important is the overall, big, lofty goal, and to put some purpose behind that gol. The family needs to agree to 1) go on a vacation and 2) go on a vacation that entertains the kids, and spends the least amount of time in transit.

I have the opportunity to join a short-term mission trip, planning to work in an orphanage in Guatemala. The danger is if I jump too quickly to the specific tasks, because, I believe, it isn’t about the tasks themselves, but rather about that big and lofty mission. I’m going to share God’s love with the people I encounter while on this trip- team members, orphans, people working at the orphanage, anyone. I will do that in the context of being in a team.

As Paul writes, it is Jesus who keeps us in step with each other, because Christ’s life and blood are in each of us, and unite us, if we let it.

I suspect that most of the disharmony that occurs in short term trips is when we lose sight of the big and lofty commandments. Love God. Love your neighbor. Where I get to do that may change, the language may change and the people with whom I’m walking may change. But the commandment remains. How I love my neighbor is less critical than That I love my neighbor.  

This morning, I’m thinking about how to support and build team cohesiveness by keeping my eye on the end game. Love God. Love my neighbor. Nothing else really matters. The best news is that if I try to do that, I will succeed at doing that; this is one of those few instances where if I try to love God, if I worship and pray, I have succeeded in loving God. If I try to love my neighbor, whoever that may be, I have accomplished God’s purpose. It doesn’t really matter if I, or anyone else on the team are the best builders or cleaners. We just need to love.