As March Madness makes its’ way into our schedule and vocabulary, basketball fans push aside other activities to catch some games of the favorite team. For schools sporting a tournament team, this is a very important recruiting tool for next year. Once the play begins until the final game is played, it truly is ‘March madness.’
However, we need to remember teams that “play together, win together”. No matter how good one player is (or how good he thinks he is), it takes the efforts of everyone to win the championship. In team sports, the key to winning is a strong defense and an offense that focuses on good, solid play, executing the fundamentals of the sport. Ask “coach” and he/she will tell you to “focus on the fundamentals”. Games are not won on flukes and luck. Well, occasionally someone throws a “Hail Mary pass”, or “slings a full-courter and swishes the net” for a win. But not often! The better teams play consistently, with determination, perfecting the skills of the sport. And the results — winning!
Now isn’t the team sport much like the game of life? We all are on a team, so to speak; a part of a family, a church family, and God’s family of brotherhood. We serve together in unity. (Romans 14-15) This pleases God. We depend on each other to strengthen us in our weak areas, and vice versa. We use our spiritual gifts for the benefit of the church and our fellow believers. (1 Cor.). We give up our selfish desires to “shine” so that others may be blessed and enjoy being on the “team”. This is the joy of being a Christian and living in unity.
Whether Jew or Gentile, Paul teaches “God is the Father of all and the Good News is a message of love and forgiveness for the world”. And since we all belong to God’s Family (the redeemed), we work together in harmony for the glory of God (Romans 15). His joy is not confined to just one month each year, but it becomes a way of life, with eternal rewards.
Consider the five players on the basketball court! Coach is on the bench (well, sometimes)! Play begins and the ball is up in the air. Everyone is pushing the limits, working together to score, rebound, or stop the other team. The object is not how many points can I score? It is “how can we best work together to gain the victory”! At this point in the season, everyone knows that to lose now means the season is over. Return home, empty handed! Hanging up the shoes till next year! Who wants to do that? “Time out”, coach wants to talk to us! (God calls us sometimes to stop the action that’s focused on ‘me’, and refocus on Him.)
In life, do you ever have the feeling that “God wants to talk to you”? Maybe the game is not going right, maybe you have made the wrong play, maybe you did not defend your position, or perhaps you let the opposition make you look very weak or even embarrassed you. Call “time out”! The Lord might say, “Let’s regroup, get that chin up, stand firm; play your position, where’s your grit? Now go back into this game and fight like you never fought before; don’t give up!”
It may be March Madness around the country on basketball courts, but every day is one of “madness” when the children of God are confronted with the temptations of Satan to be less than we should be, when we let the opposition take advantage of our weakness. It’s time to huddle together, stack hand on hand, give a “1,2,3 Victory” yell and go for the crown awaiting the winner.
Truth is, “we need each other”. Our gifts compliment each other as we work together for the Lord. Over and over we have learned “the whole is stronger than any part”! “No man is an island”, ‘and “we need each other”. These are Biblically- related truths. We are in this game (of life) together. One doesn’t have to play ball to learn that valuable truth. No, we learn these truths by living the Christ-centered life, entrusting our lives daily to our Master and Lord, Jesus. Yes, playing by His rules….is the key.
We can’t sit on the sidelines or in the stands when it comes to playing the ‘game of life.’ All hands on deck; everyone on the court! It is game time!
Good News March 26,2025
Bill Crider Chaplain
Minden Medical Center