Do we rely on a team

​Do we all paddle in the same direction? A few weeks ago, I was talking to a friend of mine who is a retired Navy Seal. He was sharing with me about all the things they go through during training and the vigorous training they are put through. As he was sharing, I was thinking there is no way I could have gone through all that. I mean I thought my high school baseball coach was bad, now he seemed like a cake walk.
He was sharing how it’s so important for him and his team mates to go in the same direction at all times and to be thinking the same way because one wrong move him and his team could be killed or fail the test during practice. We got talking about a particular training where when they had to carry a boat down to the shore and paddle out a few miles but maintain their spot where the waves were breaking while also going the distance set by the instructor. I thought in my head this does not seem hard to get in a boat and you and your team paddle out a few miles. So, I asked him how hard would that be? I have paddled out from the beach in a kayak with wife, surely 6 men could do this with ease.  He looked at me and at first, I thought he was running through his head how he could kill me in 5 different ways without anyone knowing. But then he laughed at me and said well you see in San Diego in the winter time the surf is about 8 to 9 feet. He shared it’s tough and everyone has to be on the same page and paddle at the same time to get through the rough seas. If one person decides to paddle on their own and not be in sequence with the team then we will not make it. It takes the entire team not just 5 members but all 6 of us.  He also shared with me that not everyone had the strength to do it on their own. On each team there was always one or two guys that were not as strong as the others, but they pulled their weight and had their team members to help them make it through the battle with the waves. He told me, if you want to make things happen, work as a team and watch how things transform.
 
I thought to myself, as Christ followers do we work as a team and paddle at the same time and in the same direction for Christ? The answer to this is no we don’t, and I can call myself out on this. We think we are paddling in the same direction and for the same cause but if we were then we would see more love within the Church. You can walk in a Church and see that there are folks there for themselves and some to see and be seen. I can say this because I have been there. I was more worried about what people thought of me than focusing on my own walk with Christ. How can we as a Church make a change in the world when we are not paddling as a team and are more worried about what people see on Sunday then what they see Monday through Friday. Look I know I’m not perfect at all and a fall short all the time, but I know what it takes to win as a team. My question is do you know what it takes to win as a team? Or are you more worried what people think of you?