[Run to Win] Rules of the GameSample

Esteeming Others

We can classify sports into two basic types: individual and team sports. In individual sports, success or failure depends on a single player. In team sports, players unite efforts, skills, and strategies to defeat the opposing team.

Let’s think of our favorite team in any sport. All the players must play together for the team to win. There are countless stories of games where teams won because all the players worked together. There are also many stories of how a single member, wanting to stand out as the best, brought the whole team down.

Common purposes allow people to join forces, talents, and strategies to accomplish their goals. A team, a church, or an organization works well together because everyone supports the work of others, thinking of others first. Lack of unity is a disease that can destroy any team, no matter how talented or strong the team may be.

Paul was in prison, away from this small church in the city of Philippi. He had heard about disunity in the church, and he knew that nothing could destroy a church—a team—faster than disunity. He first reminded the believers, in his letter, of their common goal: to share the Gospel. He told them to treat each other as members of the same team.

The church is a team, and all who are part of it must participate in fostering unity. To achieve this, we must follow God’s principle of treating others as greater than ourselves. This is in direct opposition to what the world teaches. It tells you that you must seek to be number one, no matter the cost. But Scripture says we must think of the team before thinking of ourselves.

While the world invites you to seek admiration for being the most important player on the team, God teaches us that we must be humble and let the true star, Jesus Christ, be the center of it all.

Lord, You went to the cross for me so that I could be a part of Your team. Please show me how I can help the team instead of thinking about how the team can help me. Thank You for considering me above Yourself. Let me run this race to win for Your glory!

TheSports Ministry Institute(SMI) was created under GCSD to minister to athletes from a wide variety of sports, with simple, thought-provoking devotions for athletes to think about their sport and their athletics inside the biblical worldview of God and His grace. Be equipped as an athlete/minister today. Pre-register for SMI Core Curriculum now!