Team Players

At our local college, the women’s basketball games have a smaller fanbase than the men’s basketball games. Unlike the male players, the chances of these female players making big bucks in a pro-career are slim. The female players seem more dedicated and less audience driven. They also seem more team-oriented and intrinsically motivated.

As a team, they have the same goal: To win the game. They all have certain common gifts—they are all athletic, and taller than average. Each player also has her own special role based on her unique talents. One player may be good at moving the ball, while others may excel at shooting 3 pointers, or blocking, or rebounding, or dunking. Each of these gifts may come with its own liabilities. The tallest player might not be able to move as quickly as the rest. The more intensely physical players might not be able to endure as long as the rest.

As followers of Christ, we are like members of a basketball team. We have the same goal but different gifts. We have a Coach who knows our strengths and weaknesses. He places each of us in different positions based on our uniqueness.

“I want you to get out there and walk—better yet, run!—on the road God called you to travel. I don’t want any of you sitting around on your hands. I don’t want anyone strolling off, down some path that goes nowhere. And mark that you do this with humility and discipline—not in fits and starts, but steadily, pouring yourselves out for each other in acts of love, alert at noticing differences and quick at mending fences. You were all called to travel on the same road and in the same direction, so stay together, both outwardly and inwardly.” (Ephesians 4:1-6 MSG)

Our Coach wants all of us to participate in the game. Nobody gets to sit on the bench all the time. We are to use our unique talents, while at the same time, taking into account our weakness. Our team goal is to play the game to the best of our ability, with integrity, and defeat the opposition. We shouldn’t be distracted by the applause or heckling. We must be consistent, disciplined, alert, and agile. We should be covering each other—looking out for our teammates. It would be ridiculous to wander off the court during a game—to join the spectators, or go get a hotdog, or give interviews to a reporter!

Unfortunately, most of us don’t follow Christ with this level of intensity or dedication. We are more like players at a pick-up basketball game. We might occasionally shoot a few hoops for fun; but this is not our main focus in life…