BIG TEAM - LITTLE ME

DAY 7 Winning Edge Devotions

ROMANS 11:36 “For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.”

The most common characteristic I have found on our championship teams is a noticeable absence of selfishness. I always worry about teams that have a number of discontented individuals. The worst example of this is when the team has won, but that individual is not happy after the game because he didn’t get enough touches or playing time.

I make it a habit to look at everyone in the locker room after the game. After a win, we sing a silly song and really celebrate. I don’t care if it was an ugly one-point win- a win is a win and a beat is a beat. So we sing and dance and I watch the locker room for individuals with that ‘far away look’. It is those individuals who need encouragement in the message of “Big Team- Little Me”.

I had a quarterback one game who threw 4 interceptions in the game. He came back in the 4th quarter and threw the game winning touchdown pass. On the sideline as time was running out, I walked up to him and saw the tears streaming down his face.

Usually, I try to gently encourage a young man who is broken like that, but my response was surprising; I lit him up! I was angry that he could not stop focusing on self. I wanted so badly for him to see that it is not about him, we had a team win! Thankfully, the technique worked!

Self- focus is a terrible condition and it infects us all at various times. I believe it one of Satan’s best avenues to steal the joy of living from us. It kills a team.

The individual who cares more about the team than himself is the young man who learns to love and serve. He lives in the comfort of brotherhood and has great help in times of pressure. He is free to compete and tends to be focused on his role.

The most liberating time in my Christian life is when I get my eyes of the temporal and myself, and submit to the loving care of the Sovereign King of the Universe. Everything is about Him. It is all orchestrated to His glory and I an thankful to just be a small part.

Romans 11:36 is the great culminating doxology to some of the most incredible doctrinal statements in the Bible. The apostle Paul has just finished explaining the gospel in depth and detail that takes your breath away. Right after this chapter, he begins the application of these great truths. This great verse at the end of doctrine and the beginning of application is where we get the phrase- “SOLI DEO GLORIA- To God Alone Be the Glory”. It is not about me- It is about Him.

I am a part of a big team and Christ is my captain. When I start living for His glory and not mine, I find life becomes much less crazy. The greatest part is that the Lord cares for ‘little me’!

Father, thank You for being awesome enough to contain and maintain all things! It is comforting to me that You are bigger than my thoughts and unbound by my imagination. Help me to submit to You and live for You. Teach me to reflect glory back to You in humility and gratitude. Keep my focus on You and eternity and off this present circumstance. You are God and in control! Amen!