For as the body is one and has many parts, and all the parts of that body,
though many, are one body —so also is Christ.
1 Corinthians 12:12 (Holman Christian Standard)

While talking with a group of coaches recently, someone made the statement that players today are better than ever, but teams are not. Though I didn’t want to admit it, I knew it was true. There are certainly some very skilled athletes that I enjoy watching perform. Labron James, Serena Williams, Johnny Manziel, Usain Bolt, Amy Wambach and Peyton Manning are among the best at what they do. Yet we also know that individual greatness does not always transfer to greatness as a team. Why is that? Well, sometimes great athletes are not great teammates. Larger than life egos and pure selfishness often get in the way of the team building process. Every day we witness athletes consumed with personal greatness rather than team greatness. One of the greatest challenges for today’s coach is how to successfully develop team cohesion. How do we take individuals with different skill sets and mold them into a team working toward a common goal?

The Apostle Paul struggled with the challenge of building a team too. Paul knew that the members of his team had different gifts. He understood that if he could get them focused on a common goal, they could accomplish amazing things. Yet just like our modern day athletic teams, selfishness and egos got in the way. Paul used the illustration of the human body to drive his point home. The eye by itself is an eye. The arm by itself is an arm. The foot by itself is a foot. However, when each of these parts functions together, they become the body. As a body, working in unison, wonderful things can be achieved. Taking this a step further, as believers, we are the Body of Christ. Whatever our differences, whatever our gifts, our common goal is to make Jesus Christ known to the world. We aren’t asked to do this by ourselves. As a part of Team Jesus we can accomplish much more than an individual for Jesus ever imagined.

Thank You Lord for the gifts You have given me. May I use them for Your glory and not my own. Lord, help me to be to be a good teammate in the Body of Christ as we strive to make You known. Amen.