Are You a MLT - Most Loving Teammate in God's Eyes? Redefining What It Means to Be a Great Teammate 🏆🙏
Before we dive in, take a moment to reflect on these questions:
Is being a good teammate important to you?
Are you a good teammate?
If we were to ask God if you were a good teammate, what would He say?
Of the three questions asked, I'm going to assume the most challenging to answer was the last: how does God view you as a teammate?
As I strive to be a great teammate not only in sports but in my family, friendships, community, and professionally, scripture has led me to believe that a good teammate in God's eyes:
🌟 Sees the best in others
🙌 Wants the best for them
🧭 Will seek God to be led to make their contribution to getting the best out of them
🚀 They will contribute to helping their teammates get the best out of them, even if that means their teammate will receive more worldly praise, status, and accomplishment than they have
The Challenge of Selflessness
The Bible is clear that we all are sinful natured, often that sinful nature leads to a selfish nature. That being the case, we must humble ourselves and acknowledge that the only way we can be great teammates in God's eyes is to allow Him to transform us and change our hearts and minds to do His will.
Seeing Through God's Eyes
When we do, God will allow us to see our teammates as He does - see the best. We will also desire the best for them, and because our selfish nature has melted away, we commit to helping them be their best self.
The Uncommon Teammate
Lastly, and most uncommon, we will help them even if that means that leads them to make more money than we do, go further athletically than we went, or get promoted faster. Such a teammate is uncommon in the world we live in, which is exactly what God calls us to be, uncommon.
Scripture to Guide Us
"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of others." - Philippians 2:3-4
"Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms." - 1 Peter 4:10
"Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor. For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up." - Ecclesiastes 4:9-10
"Put into practice the example of all that you have heard from me or seen in my life and the God of peace will be with you in all things." - Philippians 4:9 TPT
"Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect." - Romans 12:2
The Game Plan
As you lace up for your next game - whether on the court, in the office, or at home - remember: being a MLT in God's playbook means lifting others up, even when it doesn't benefit you. It's about seeing the divine potential in every teammate and helping them reach it.
Are you ready to be that uncommon teammate? 🏀💪
Challenge Yourself
Who in your life right now have you failed, by not being a good teammate in God's eyes? What held you back from being a MLT and what are you going to do to flip the script and change that?
Celebrate Yourself
Who in your life have you been the teammate that God has called you to be? What did you do specifically to make God smile by being an MLT?
Spread the Love
Who can you challenge to be an MLT? Share this devotional with them!