Does your life spin out of control at times? Do you get overwhelmed, wondering how to cope and feeling like there is no relief? Whether we realize it or not, life is not an individual endeavor, it’s a team event. We were never designed to weather life’s challenges alone.
Let me explain what I mean by using an example from the NBA. If you’re an avid Lakers fan like I am, you’re aware that the NBA season just opened this week. Of course I’m hoping for another Lakers NBA title in 2011, which will tie them at 17 championships with the all time winning Boston Celtics. While Boston will present a challenge again this year, all eyes are on the new superstar trio acquisition of the Miami Heat: LeBron James, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh.
These three players possess some of the most outstanding skills in the NBA. The question on everyone’s mind is can they learn to work harmoniously together, share a common vision and acquire the unity in teamwork that could catapult them to a championship? Based on their first season game loss to Boston (80-88) this past Tuesday, it appears the three have some jelling to do.
James, Wade and Bosh are each used to being the team megastar and playing the game their way, being the player who takes the last shot. Will they learn how to win together by checking their egos, building mutual trust and expectations, and surrendering stardom to become team members? Will they defer to the direction and guidance of their coach in the team building process, even when they may have differing opinions?
Their success depends entirely on their becoming a team, because no matter how gifted each is, they can’t single handedly win games. If they learn to team well, they will have a great opportunity to create a championship legacy. If they don’t, the strong, highly seasoned and proven team unity of the Lakers will take the Heat and demolish them! A well-coordinated team effort will win over individuals operating in isolation every time.
Each of us spends most of our life in various group settings. In each setting, learning to build unity through holding a common vision, choosing to work together with others, respecting what each person brings to the joint effort, and becoming accountable to others for our actions become essential. And each group must hold a common vision and purpose and be submitted to authority through some agreed upon decision-making process. Whether it is our employment work group, family, or our participation in any number of educational or social situations, these basic principles determine how productive and enjoyable our lives will be in each.
God designed us as social beings. We can’t successfully take on the heat of life by ourselves. We need to know how to live together in unity and in proper alignment with one another and authority, if we are to enjoy life to the fullest. God intends that His family be a safe, accepting place where we will learn these important living skills.
He tells us in Ephesians 4:11-13a, 15-16: “Now these are the gifts Christ gives to His family, the church: apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do His work, and to build up the church, the family of Christ. This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord. We will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more like Christ who is the head of His family, the church. He makes the whole family fit together perfectly.”
Come and join us this Sunday at 10:30 am to continue this discussion on unity and alignment as I share “Vision, Values and Victory” part 5 in the series on church membership.
Pastor Che
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