Togetherness. Does togetherness always mean unity? Unfortunately, no, it does not. In fact, sometimes, when we experience hoards of togetherness with the same group of people, we become agitated, irritated, and unharmonious. Why? Because we are imperfect individuals living in an imperfect world.
However, we can overcome these imperfections when we work together at being unified.
Unity.
When we work together toward a common goal, we experience camaraderie. We learn the value of each person as we observe and celebrate them utilizing their greatest talents, gifts, and skills
The greatest leader of all time, who taught us how to lead in
Jesus did not work alone when He was walking this earth. He brought together a band of leaders He personally selected for His mission. Jesus’ ultimate mission was to offer Himself as the final and perfect sacrifice required to save mankind from sin and destruction, and to provide the promise of eternity with Him. To carry out that mission, He brought together this band of men. They became like-minded following Jesus and teaching others about Him and His identity.
Each of Jesus’ disciples had his own skill set, his own profession, his own sphere of influence; carpenter, fisherman, tax collector, etc. Jesus mentored this group, bringing together these personalities with their gifts, talents, skills, and abilities. He taught and trained them for the purpose of carrying out and continuing His work after His departure.
These men walked together. They followed Jesus. They were trained and mentored by Him and a bond was forged between them. These disciples learned together, worked together, laughed together, grieved, cried, and mourned together, and they celebrated together. Although they were somewhat separated after Jesus’ arrest, their bond, their commonality, brought them back together after Christ’s death. Jesus appeared to them following His resurrection and allowed them to witness His ascension into Heaven. Then, they were more determined than ever, to carry out the work of Jesus individually and together, and they did.
When we are in a place of leadership, how do we follow Jesus’ example? We bring together people of varying talents, abilities and skill sets. We cast a vision in which everyone is shown why we need to move from our current status to the envisioned place. We invite everyone to participate in achieving this mission and vision. We celebrate our differences because together, we have everything needed to achieve our common goals and accomplish our stated vision.
“If then there is any encouragement in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by thinking the same way, having the same love, sharing the same feelings, focusing on one goal. Do nothing out of rivalry or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves. Everyone should look out not only for his own
