I played one-on-one basketball with a friend last week. I got bored because I did one of three things every time it was my ball. I either dribbled left and pulled up to shoot, dribbled to the right for a layup, or stepped back to shoot a three-pointer.

In one-on-one you have to manufacture your own shot. You depend solely on your own skills, and all the pressure is on you.

But in five-on-five, your teammates’ talents enter the picture. You do not have to manufacture your own shot. You have more resources than yourself, and the pressure is dispersed.

Christianity is like that.

I once heard a pastor say, “As a Christian you are not a lone ranger.”

Athlete, just like you are part of a sports team, as a Christian you are part of a people group. You are not a lone ranger.

You have friends to lean on. They provide encouragement, resources and camaraderie. God’s people belong to you and you belong to them (Romans 12:5).

A week after playing one-on-one, I played five-on-five basketball. I went to set a screen for my teammate at the three-point line. But I slipped the screen and cut to the basket. He read my mind and placed the ball perfectly over my shoulder into my hands. Easy layup. That complex play was not an option in one-on-one. Achieving complex things in life requires the presence and help of others too.

Reflect: Visualize the split-second, non-verbal communication between you and your teammate on the field or court. God wants you to have that type of proximity and connection with His people off the court too.