The Beehive Principle

I am not sure where I got this idea, but I think it's a helpful one. Honey bees have a highly developed social structure. A beehive may house as many as 80,000 bees, each of which performs a specialised duty. Some are forager bees, flying great distances to collect food. The guard bees protect the hive entrance from intruders. The scout bees alert the hive to opportunities and dangers in the outside world. A few bees serve as undertakers, responsible for removing dead bodies from the hive. Others are water collectors. They bring in moisture to regulate the hive's humidity. Some are plasterers, making a cement-like substance to repair the hive. The scent fanners station themselves at the hive entrance and blow the scent outward so that disorientated bees can find their way home. The Bible illustrates this "beehive principle" several times. In the Old Testament, Moses is overcome by the burdens of his office and appoints others to help him. In the New Testament Paul says to the church at Corinth that there are varieties of gifts, varieties of service, and varieties of working, each inspired by God for the common good. Every Christian has received gifts and has a role to play in the beehive of God's Kingdom.