Teammates

The Urban Dictionary defines a teammate as "Somebody on the same team that, no matter what, won't quit on you, will always defend you in front of non-team members and is there for the team."  Do you get the other-focus of this definition?  A teammate won't quit on his/her other teammates.  A teammate defends other teammates. A teammate is there for the other members of the team.  I think Jesus would like this definition, because it presents teammates as humble, self-less and about the overall mission of the team.

I was watching the NBA All Star game (only for a few minutes).  The players there are all about entertainment, showing off their skills, being their own selves and hyping their brand.  It is a far cry from the game I played on dirt courts growing up in North Carolina.

I wonder what you want your teammates to look like?  Do you want the glitzy, showy teammate who shows up with amazing talent and almost super abilities when they are feeling good, but disappears into mediocrity when they "aren't feeling it?"  Do you want the teammate that gives 100% every day, always giving the team all they have?  That answer for me is easy.

Jesus calls His teammates "followers."  God's plan is their purpose and their mission.  Their mission is (according to Luke 9:57-62) ...
     1. Lonely - God's only Son had no place to lay His head.
     2. Costly - Following God will stress and challenge even our family relationships.
     3. Pointed - The message our team is all about is to tell people about God's kingdom.
     4. Committed - We are called to follow without looking back at what we've lost.
These are some of the costs of being on Jesus' team.

I want to be on Jesus' team.  Sometimes I wish I had more talent.  Sometimes I wish I was brilliant.  Sometimes I wish I was such a whirlwind of energy that all of you would look and be amazed.  But then I remember my heroes of the faith that often toiled in the lonely, costly, focused life of being totally committed to Jesus.  And I remember something profoundly Biblical.  We (Jesus' followers) don't function and serve in a world where we come at life, ministry and obstacles in our own power.  We are more like a little shepherd boy going against the Goliaths of the world who must pray every morning, "You come against me with sword and spear and javelin but I come against you in the name of the Lord (1 Samuel 17:45)."  That is our team's strength and that is our team's power.  Will you be my teammate?  Randy