Gospel-Centered TeammatesChikamu

Gospel-centered teammates enter into their teammate’s pain

Jonathan and David’s friendship was not all rainbows and butterflies. In fact, it was often marked by hardship. Can you imagine being best friends with someone whose dad wants both of you dead? While the world of athletics does not reach that level of intensity, it still rides the emotional roller coaster of highs and lows. Today we’ll look at how Jonathan chose to respond in a moment of despair. 

His dad, the king of Israel, finally reached his tipping point. He expressed to Jonathan his disdain for him as a son and his intentions to kill David. In a moment when he had every right to isolate himself and recover from the personal attacks of his father, Jonathan chose to hurt with David. At that moment, he decided to enter into his friend's pain rather than his own. 

Gospel-centered teammates allow themselves to hurt and enter into the pain of others. What does this look like on a practical level? If a teammate gets injured, they imagine what it must be like to be in that person’s shoes. If a teammate loses or performs poorly, they encourage their teammate and try to lift his or her spirits. Great teammates don’t try to fix the problem or minimize the pain. They use phrases like: “I’m really sorry.” “I can’t imagine what you’re going through.” “What do you need from me?” “I’m in your corner.”

Questions to consider:

1. Who on your team is hurting right now?
2. What is one thing you can do today to enter in to a teammate’s pain? A kind word? A text of encouragement?