• Editor’s note: “Spiritual leaders answer” is a weekly column inviting Kaua‘i’s religious and spiritual leaders to share their doctrine’s perspective on a suggested subject. Every Friday, a topic is printed, inviting a response. Due to space limitations, submissions are
• Editor’s note: “Spiritual leaders answer” is a weekly column inviting Kaua‘i’s religious and spiritual leaders to share their doctrine’s perspective on a suggested subject. Every Friday, a topic is printed, inviting a response. Due to space limitations, submissions are edited. Thoughts or suggestions for future topics are always welcome. Next week the suggested topic is affection. The topic at the end of the column is for the following week.
Dr. Robert P. Merkle, retired clergy
United Church of Christ, Koloa
Team work can be seen as the third step in the soul’s liberation from the protective confines of the self. The self can be understood as the “world of my own” each of us must construct early in life to protect against awareness overload.
During our first years of life we experience sheer delight in mastering the tasks of surviving — like seeing, listening, rolling over, sitting up, standing, walking and running. Having achieved a degree of mastery in these tasks we eagerly move to the next step, belonging. We take a second step beyond our protective “selves” to become partners in relationships, where we not only find comfort and a sense of well-being for our “self”, but also bring the same to those with whom we effectively belong. This culminates, for many of us, in marriage.
Having again achieved a degree of mastery in this developmental task, we move to the third step, which is cooperating. We experience delight in joining with others. We work with others to make our world, locally and globally, a better place. Marriages, for example, that do not move into this third step experience difficulty, and soon deteriorate. Life cannot go well when lived within the initially protective confines of merely surviving and belonging (and entertaining our “selves” to overcome the boredom of settling for it).
“Straight is the path, and narrow is the gate” that leads to the next steps, and few there are who are courageously willing and able to pay the price of looking for and living them. The price to be paid is taking the next steps in letting go of the protective self.
Kahu James Fung
Lihu‘e Christian Church
A church underwent a building expansion where the entire congregation gathered outdoors for the ground-breaking ceremony. Sitting in the fields where the new worship center was to be constructed was an old farmer’s plow. After the congregation sang a hymn entitled, “We Would Be Building,” the minister said a prayer and walked over and harnessed himself to the plow to begin to pull. But the plow wouldn’t budge. Then the elders and deacons joined in and it still wouldn’t move. Then the Sunday school teachers, the building committee and the members of the choir joined in. Finally everyone in the congregation came over. People pulled and pushed, grunted and groaned. And guess what? The plow began to move and the church broke new ground.
Teamwork. That’s what it takes.
In the Bible are numerous examples of teamwork. The words of St. Paul state it clearly, “For as we have many members in one body, and members have not the same function: So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.” (Romans 12: 4-5)
Not only does this suggest a sense of unity and cooperation, but as members of a team, people don’t have to be competent in everything. They can specialize and excel in the area of their expertise and when each member does this everyone becomes a winner.
It’s a truly enlightened organization (church or otherwise) that encourages and rewards cooperation rather than internal competition. It has to do with an economy of effort, a shared corporate vision that is captivating, and the wisdom of putting aside individual recognition for group accomplishment.
Pastor Wayne Patton
Anahola Baptist Church
As Jesus neared the cross, He poured out His heart in prayer for His disciples: “Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are. While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name. Those whom You gave Me I have kept (John 17:11-12). He’s praying about teamwork.
The story is told of a soldier whose life was changed after he successfully completed the obstacle course in Air Force basic training on his first attempt. In fact, he completed the course far ahead of everyone else. But as he stood feeling satisfied within himself, he was immediately confronted by his drill sergeant who demanded, “Where are all your buddies, soldier?”
“Back there sergeant,” The soldier replied. “I won!”
The sergeant barked, “Soldier, the obstacle course isn’t about coming in first. It’s about finishing. Guess what? Everybody finishes or nobody wins. So go back and run it again, and this time, help the guys who are struggling along the way.”
To run life’s obstacle course, it is best to follow Jesus’ prayer to do it together, united, encouraging each other until we cross the finish line. Teamwork divides the effort, thus multiplying the effect.
Baha’i Faith
The Baha’i of Kaua‘i
Effective teamwork requires the full participation of all of members, with each member equally respected and valued. All are encouraged to put forth their ideas and talents and everyone’s contribution is not only appreciated, but necessary to accomplish the common goal.
The following quotes from the Baha’i Writings emphasize the need for cooperation and working together.
“O ye friends of God! Today is the day of union and this age is the age of harmony in the world of existence. ‘Verily, God loveth those who are working in His path in groups, for they are a solid foundation.’ Consider ye that he says ‘in groups,’ united and bound together, supporting one another… The supreme need of humanity is cooperation and reciprocity. The stronger the ties of fellowship and solidarity amongst men, the greater will be the power of constructiveness and accomplishment in all the planes of human activity.”
Topic for two
weeks from today
• Will you speak to us on signs?
• Spiritual leaders are invited to e-mail responses of three to five paragraphs to pwoolway@kauaipubco.com.
• Deadline each week is 5 p.m.
Tuesday.