Last week during practice, I (along with another coach) were trying to instruct the kids on various techniques and skills. We asked the kids questions and invariably my son knew the answers. On a side note, he is a very smart kid and seems to gravitate toward anything I’m remotely interested. After answering questions, he would try to tell the kids what to do. He was trying to be a coach. After practice, we sat down on the side of the field. As we removed our cleats and changed into regular shoes I asked my son, “Do you know what a captain does on a soccer team?”
I think he knew where I was going (and he remembered a previous talk) because he rattled off a few things a team captain does:
- Plays as hard as they can
- Does their best
- Encourages their teammates
I wonder, “how often in life do we do the same things my son was doing on the soccer field?” How often do we try to become the coach? Why do we act like we are the only people who can do something?
Now I realize there are dangers in comparing God to a “coach” and I don’t want to take that metaphor too far, yet at the same time, would we do better if we acted less like a coach and more like a team captain?
What does life look like when we trust that God’s Holy Spirit is active in the lives of others? What does “playing as hard as we can” look like in life? How do we encourage others? Finally, how is that kind of living the kind of living that lines us up with the mission of God in the world to reconcile all persons to Gods own self?
"What does life look like when we trust that God's Holy Spirit is active in the lives of others?"
ReplyDeleteIt looks like a great deal of humility, delayed gratification, neediness for community and relationship, letting go of control, and faith ... which scares the crap out of most of us.
The key words is "trust." It is not an easy thing, my friend.
Given the blog title, I can understand the point being made. However, I do wonder about whether the individualism that could be read into this is really where you want to go in your ecclesiology. The church is far more organically connected than the popular sentiments of "me and Jesus" or "me and the Spirit." We are not just all playing our hardest in parallel to each other. How each of us is related to the rest affects the overall dynamic of the body and the shape of the witness of that body. For that reason those within the church do call each other to account and sharpen each other.
ReplyDeleteEric.. certainly that is a fair critique. I don't want to imply that our lives in together are that way. I hate the word individual and really the only thing that salvages this metaphor at all is the fact that soccer is a team sport where one person cannot win a game alone. We need each other and we all have responsibilities to each other.
ReplyDeleteGreat thoughts, Jeff.
ReplyDeleteAnd Eric, I think that there is something missing in your observation. Playing hard as you can is leading by example. A captain of a team is participating, and showing how to do the things that help win. A captain has the thrill of showing and not just telling. And playing as hard as one can is also a way to give God glory--not half heartedly going through the motions. It can also encourage others to become better. I agree that individualism is a downfall, and something we should guard against. I think it is more individualistic to attempt to all be coaches, often screaming at what others are doing wrong. Although a metaphor, I am challenged to grow and inspire others to do the same.