Who’s on your team?

So last night, I stayed really pretty late chatting with a friend…we were talking about friendship and community. We have markedly different views on community. I've had many people with the same attitude throughout my life… I'm not quite sure where I TRULY stand. The attitude these folks have had is the "me and Jesus" attitude. While this is a completely trustworthy attitude, and I honestly believe that He's our source. I don't really think we were created for "lone ranger spirituality." There are a few examples of Biblical figures flying solo, Paul was taught the gospel by Christ himself this was for a period of 3 year without this outside consulting… (gal 1:11-24) We all know Moses, spent 40 days on the mountain with God. Jesus spent 40 days in the wilderness, He also spent many times in solitude with His Father. Ezekiel laid on his side for over 2 years. David became a man prepared for his kingly duty essentially alone, in the pasture with his sheep.

At the same time, my heart is so much drawn to intentional community. I began to receive a pretty intense illustration...one that i'm working through to live as a parable in my life... i think it really fits the way i live well...

My personal community is much like a football team. Jesus being the coach, and I'm the quarterback, I need to have him constantly in my ear guiding my decisions and life goals, He needs to be the authority and the one I answer to for my actions. this is the most important relationship, if there is no coach, there is not a team. At the very least no vision for the team.

A team is against an opposing defense, we have an enemy who is trying to destroy us, trying to steal the ball out of our hands, and trying to keep us from reaching our goal. We need people to stand with us, the community that we can stand against satans schemes together. Their focus is not so much on where the ball is going, but really on protecting the quarterback or player with the ball. Its on helping the goal be reached, but they're not necessarily moving the ball. . . I believe this is the role of close friends. They're there when you need their protection and their strength.

But a team cannot win with a quarterback and line alone. We need the receivers, the running backs, people that will help the ball move down the field, a quarterback cannot run down the field all alone, nor can he throw it to himself. These are the people intimately involved in our lives. The ones we trust to help us reach our goal in the deepest way. They have that common goal and run with perseverance to the goal, throw it, catch it, run it, all things to accomplish the goal.
We have a defense, a silent community that does their job even if we're not aware of it, the larger community, perhaps the local church, or other people involved in our lives that we don't necessarily do regular work with.

We also have a great cloud of witnesses, the stands are full of other members of the body, cheering us on and giving us the perseverance to attain victory. PTL!
Now, sometimes our players get injured and they can't do the work, they are incapable of carrying the ball or defending. It's a matter of choice of how we react to that, we can "bench them," allow them to heal and play again, or we can give up on them, and trade them out. I'm not really the type to trade them out. Honestly, I'm the type that would let them play injured, or let a hole in my offense. . . maybe it's not wise, but that's where I'm at.
It's my prayer that more than being a quarterback, I can be the running back, wide receiver, offensive line, defense, and witness for others in the community, we all have the same goal. We all need to be capable of playing different positions. It's about putting the others before ourselves.

So, in an semi-unrelated question, am I doing what people like or what God wants?