Same Team

Scott McFarland
12/12/21 - Sun AM Worship

Let’s Work Together

In a Peanuts cartoon Lucy demanded that Linus change TV channels, threatening him with her fist if he didn't. "What makes you think you can walk right in here and take over?" asks Linus.

"These five fingers," says Lucy. "Individually they're nothing but when I curl them together like this into a single unit, they form a weapon that is terrible to behold."

 "Which channel do you want?" asks Linus. Turning away, he looks at his fingers and says, "Why can't you guys get organized like that?"*

Teamwork.  Unity.  We hear about it all the time, but it is so elusive, isn’t it?  People and different personalities make it difficult to achieve teamwork and unity.  We often get a taste of it, but then something happens that turns someone off or creates drama, and people leave.

Why is that?  We do we have such a difficult time working together?  I wonder if it’s not partly about what’s most important to us.  When we come to the table to get something done, but also come with priorities of self-preservation, personal needs, or otherwise, encountering drama will throw us off.  When I realize that working together with this group will require me being frustrated, hurt, or disappointed, there has to be something bigger than my own personal needs driving me.  If I can dig deeper and prioritize things like the Gospel, building the Kingdom, sacrificing self for the sake of furthering the cause of Christ, etc., I have a better chance at working through the frustrations, difficulties, and disappointments that inevitably come with working in a group.

Complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.  Do nothing from selfish ambition, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.  Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.

—Philippians 2:2-4

*Story taken from http://www.sermonillustrations.com/a-z/u/unity.htm

    -Scott McFarland