Life and Football

It’s football season which brings to mind so many things. Among my own favorite teams is a blue and grey team to the south of my fair city (be nice). I’m a tried and true fan since the ‘Staubach Years’ and while I’m unsure if my initial passion was his ability or the result of some school age crush, the passion ‘stuck’. I’ve watched my team have awesome seasons (back to back championships) and as all teams experience, many dismal, (or what we like to call) rebuilding seasons.

It’s interesting to hear commentators discuss teams and each player and what specific players are expected to add to the team. This year my team picked up a player whose own recent history is less than stellar. His physical abilities are amazing…it’s his teamwork that needs some serious refinishing. He almost single-handedly took a team to its proverbial knees in his efforts to showboat his own prowess. I’m less than thrilled to have acquired him but I will take the ‘wait and see’ approach prior to my own commentary. Go TEAM GO!

My husband would add that my fan status is in question because I don’t watch every game. Part of that lack is due to my ever-developing fruit of self-control. It’s just not there yet! Part of that lack is also due to complete and utter disdain for Madden (be nice). I will watch some of my team’s games this year in an effort to see if they operate as a ‘team’, and what the less literal cost of this acquisition will be.

What does this have to do with anything, you ask? Let me enlighten you where my head is this morning.

As I listened to this player’s interview last week I thought about church and my own ‘team’. I thought about how God sends people to our ‘team’ and we then either accept or reject them. We may let them ‘play a few games’ to see their moves, or we may cut them during practice. We may seek out specific ‘players’ because of past performance in the hope of becoming a better team.

Church is much like football. We are a ‘team’. In God’s words we are a ‘body’. We are to operate as ONE-BODY. If someone attempts to showboat, the WHOLE body is crippled. But if we practice together and study the ‘plays’ together and suit up for the game and actually GET IN THE GAME, then and there we see the fruit of our labor.

Our victories are souls brought to Christ. Our Championship ring would be studded with gems of souls no longer lost. It doesn’t matter so much which team they become a member of. What matters, is that they are a part of a body that will allow them the grace to grow, while offering them the discipleship to be molded and placed in the position God has created them for. If they never get off the bench; we lose. If they play only for themselves; we lose. The balance is found in teamwork; the building of a body with plan and purpose.

Have a wonderful Monday! And who is your favorite team and WHY?