In middle school we had a lot of opportunities to compete against other schools in rugby.  Some of these schools were quite a distance from out home town and that meant a sleep over.  We would all get into a bus.  Once we got to our opposition we would await word on the sleeping arrangements.  Our hosts would usually be the kids we would compete against.
As we got out of the bus there would always be a nervous tension – we all wondered how we would be divided.  Some families would take 5 kids to sleep at their house and as we all know there’s safety in numbers.  If for some reason you found yourself in a weird house then you would want to be there with some other friends.  On these trips there was always the dreaded situation where a family could only take one kid.  Everyone in the team dreaded being that kid.  The potential for an awful situation was just too real.

As I studied Mark today I remembered this childhood memory.  You might wonder why?  I think about this scenario because I think we somehow think that our mission from God is like getting on a bus and disembarking alone into the abyss of the unknown – all alone in someone else’s place.  How refreshing it was to read again that Jesus sent his disciples as teams – He knows there is safety in numbers.  This made me reflect on the wonderful team God placed me in and also incited me to pray that I’ll be a worthy team member.