Better Together

When I was going through college, one aspect that I always struggled with was the dreaded "group projects." The problem with group projects wasn't the project itself, but working with the other people in my group. No matter the class, the assignment, or project, the group always seemed to be made up of the same people.

First, you had the "know everything guy." This person would have the best idea for anything! Even if you made a comment, they would make a better comment. They had the perfect way of doing everything, their only problem was you getting in their way.

(NOTE- pictures in this blog has been used from google images, these are my hilarious best guess at putting a visual to some of these descriptions I am giving) 

"Let's do the project my way...I mean it's obviously the best!"

Second, there was always the "I'm too busy, I can't help person." This individual would only be able to work with the group on the project at 2:35am on Tuesday morning, but only for 30 minutes because then they had to go to sleep because they worked at 8:00am. This person would gladly take a portion of the project on their own because they could work on that during class or while they were working on something else.

"My next open time slot is April 29th at 7:36pm. I can give you 20 minutes then."

And then finally, you always had the "I don't want to do that person." This person would shoot down any idea the group has. While delegating duties, this person also would not want to take any portion of the project. It would be too tough, or not something they liked, or just something they didn't find important enough to do. They are sometimes also labeled the "lazy person", but in all reality they just don't want to do anything you are suggesting.

"I agree spaghetti is good, but I don't want to do that part of the project."

Then of course their is yourself. The person in the group trying to be the glue person and hold it all together.

Group projects!?!? Gotta love them. HAHA.

Group projects make you work as a team, and you know what? That's what life ends up looking like when you get older too. There is always things that you collaborate on with others whether it be at  job, or with your family, or in a church.

And you know what?

That's GREAT!

As much of a struggle working with others can be, we all bring unique gifts and abilities to the table.Even though group projects in high school or college weren't easy, I was always amazed at the end product. It always came together and was WAY greater than any of us could have done on our own.

This idea of a group being greater than one isn't a new one, and it's even Biblical. These selected verses from 1 Corinthians 12 really state it well.
¹² Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ.
¹⁴ Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.
²¹ The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” ²² On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, ²³ and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, ²⁴ while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, ²⁵ so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. ²⁶ If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.

The last line especially rings true, when one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. 

Think about sharing in that joy with others? How exciting is that? And what can be accomplished is so much greater with others than what we can do on our own. 

So don't discount those other people around you in your life. God might have a greater plan for you working with them than you ever imagined. That is the possibility of God!