Go Team!

Another Fabulous Fall for the Colts! As I write this they are 5-0, with a 14 game regular season winning streak. Their Sunday opponent, the Rams, have a longer streak going – 16 games in a row – but it’s a losing streak! Las Vegas is predicting the Colts will win by 13 points to extend both streaks.

It’s not that there are no good players in St. Louis. All of them were highly successful in college. And many of those losses were close. But there is something missing. The timing and teamwork of the Colts is like a well-oiled machine, and a beautiful thing to watch. At least for a Colts fan! It might be different in St. Louis.

We’ve been studying the book of Philippians on Sunday mornings. Paul closes his letter with a plea for teamwork; he writes in 4:2-3, “I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to agree with each other in the Lord…. Help these women who have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel.” Something was going wrong with the team. These two women were among the earliest believers in Philippi, and each played big roles in getting the church established. They worked side by side with Paul in spreading the news of Christ, in training new believers, in expressing the love of God with acts of kindness. They had shared in victory after victory as the Holy Spirit did great things among them. Yet now, for some reason, they were contending with each other. It’s not that one was right and the other wrong – Paul pleads with both of them. Something had come between them, and instead of facing their true opponent, they were fighting against a team mate.

There is nothing like working together for a common cause to draw people together. Especially when that cause is God’s cause. None of us can accomplish God’s plans by ourselves. Only together can we advance His Kingdom. If I think I have a better idea than what the rest of the team is doing, it is going to mess up the whole play. If Dallas Clark thinks it would be better to turn left, but Manning is expecting him to turn right, the play will likely end up as an interception. But each time they do it right builds their confidence in each other.

So why are humans so susceptible to letting hurt feelings come between team mates, even when we have a long history of working together? It is part of our fallen nature. But with Christ, it does not have to be that way. We are on the same team. Our Coach has a great game plan. He already has a victory celebration planned at the end of the season! When the highlight reels are being played, I don’t want to be the one seen running the wrong way, blocking out a team mate instead of an opponent.

I am so thankful to be on God’s team with you! I count it a privilege to work side by side with such great team mates.

PASS THE WORD!

Have you ever left a piece of fruit or something sticky on the kitchen counter overnight, then by morning found yourself surrounded with company? A two-way stream of ants going back and forth from that spot across the cabinet, down the wall, under the door, and across the patio to their colony in the back yard.
You hadn’t put up any signs in the yard to let them know you had been lazy with sweet, gooey stuff the night before. Who knows the name of the first ant who sensed something was available in your kitchen? But when he found it he passed the word along to the rest of his colony immediately — and hundreds of his fellows were streaming in and out of your house until Mr. Raid announced a change of plans.
When Jesus walked this earth, something like that happened. He didn’t blow trumpets or send out advertizing to prepare the way. He simply showed up and began changing lives. Then like the woman at the well, they went and told others. Before long there was a steady stream of people coming to meet Him. Then they went out and brought their friends too.
Evangelism at its best is not a duty or a program. It is showing how Christ touched you with joy, peace, and wholeness! The best argument for Christ does not come in words alone, but in our lives, as we walk in the Spirit. Unfortunately the flip side is also true; the best argument against the Christian faith is Christians who are full of themselves, unloving, bitter, or gloomy.
Our goal as witnesses is not to change people, but to introduce them to Jesus. It is not our job to get them to quit their bad habits. As they get closer to God, the Holy Spirit will do a fine job of pointing out where they need to change. Like the ants, we simply tell where the sweet stuff is!
“You will be my witnesses...” Acts 1:8. Pass the word! Say something nice about God today.