Go Team Go

No matter what season it is (except with the current quarantine going on!), you can usually find a sports game to watch on TV. You or someone you know may like to play sports. On the other hand, you may not play a sport, but you have a favorite sport you like to watch. When certain teams are playing, you may cheer louder than usual. And don't let people cheering for opposite teams be in the same room...it can really get loud then! When you listen to the cheering (or not!), you can usually tell pretty quick who people want to win. When I have watched different sports being played, there are a few things that I've noticed they have in common. Players and coaches are involved in the game and on the sidelines. Umpires or referees are on the field or court. Some games have cheerleaders on the sidelines cheering their team on. There are usually people in the stands watching the game. Now these are who we notice immediately at the game. Then, there are the individuals who get there early to make sure the place the game is being played at (stadium, gymnasium, etc.) is ready for game day, those who keep track of the individual and team accomplishments, those who put the score on the scoreboard and those who stay late after the game to make sure that everything is cleaned up. We may not see these individuals at first, but what they do is important and needed. There's something else that I haven't mentioned yet that all athletes have in common: they all have a goal! As in the case of football, the players want to get the ball to their end zone, so their team can get a touchdown and score points. As in the case of soccer, the players want to get the ball in their teams' net to score points. In both sports, there's a goal. So let's look at God's family as an athletic team. Our goal as believers should be to uplift and please God. All of us are needed and matter. Some may do more behind the scenes and work no one even knows about, but God sees it all and it is important. In God's family, we should encourage and support one another. Have you noticed players in the game helping their teammates up after they have fallen down? They hold out a hand to help them up. Players on the opposite team may walk away from the one who has fallen, but players on the same team shouldn't do so. As believers, we are on the same team. Why are we walking away from helping each other then? If we can't give them the help they need, then we should find someone who can. Teammates support each other, not keep each other down. Just like athletes give each other high fives, fist bumps and verbal encouragement, so should we. Is every play in a game perfect? Definitely not! But the encouragement acknowledges you tried and advice can be shared on what can be done better next time. Every coach has a game plan of how the plays are going to be run. Guess what our game plan is as believers? You guessed it..the Word of God! It tells us how we should act and treat others. It will help us stay focused and stay alert in what needs to be done. Athletes have to constantly watch what's going on and listen to what the coach says. Our coaches are pastors, teachers, friends, mentors, people who encourage us along the way. We need to watch our surroundings and what's going on. Also in games, athletes play a certain position in the game. We as believers need to know our position and do our part to help where we can. Athletes and believers alike need to reflect on how they're doing as an individual and a team player. Teams will watch a replay of their past game to see what they did right and what needs to be improved upon for the next game. How are we as an individual? team player? Have we encouraged or helped any one on our team lately? There is no room for competition within the team. We have to stop trying to outdo each other, but cheer each other on instead. Life gets tiring and tough, especially with everything going on in this current season! While we may not be able to see each other in person at the moment, let's continue to connect and encourage each other through a text, call, email or social media. Let's pray for each other. We have to continue to check on and cheer each other on even the more now. Every day, we have to have the mindset to do the best we can and know we will win. We will cheer our teammates on and be a good team player. Go Team Go!