May 24, 2010 - We're In This Together

Often times I hear coaches talking about communication on the floor or in the field. The simple truth is that players need to learn to communicate with one another if they are going to function as a team.

Yet most communication I hear from players is the complaining after something has gone wrong, whether it is pointing fingers at teammates and referees. There is very little team communication going on in sports today.

It is seldom I hear a player warn his teammate that a pick is coming. It is seldom that I hear a player cry out to teammate for help when he is beaten by his man. It is seldom I hear a player tell his teammates, “That was my bad, thanks for picking me up.”

Successful teams realize they are in it together! They all need each other in order to function properly. Each man needs help at times, yet each man is expected to carry his own load of responsibility. And all of it centers around communicating those things to one another.

In the church, our team needs to learn to communicate. We need to recognize that we are in this game of life together. We will at times mess up and need help. We will at times see opportunity to pick up the slack for a teammate. We are each expected to humbly carry our load of responsibility. We need to remain focused on the goal!

Galatians 6 reminds us that we will have teammates that screw up; our response to help that teammate through the problem. It goes on to remind us to not be proud and haughty, thinking we are above such problems, but instead to take personal inventory to make sure we are following through with our responsibilities. Then later we are reminded through it all that ultimately what matters is that Christ is preached and we glory in Him alone!

Read Galatians chapter 6 for a great reminder of teamwork. Make sure to note the goal found in verse 14: “But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.”