We have a church softball league,and I play on the team. I usually play second base,or at times I catch. I am very competitive.I get so mad at myself when I make a mistake. I have played since I was just a little girl. Then I pitched,or played shortstop. My body won't allow me to do that anymore or play as great as I did then,even at 16 when I played,I cannot make the same moves or run as fast. My body has changed. Its funny,we love to win,but at our church with the group we play with,fun is what its all about.If we can have a great time,laugh at one another,cheer each other on,and get a little dirty from sliding or falling,then we have had a great night. There was one game where I had made two really bad mistakes that I shouldn't have made. After the game, as I got in our truck,my husband sitting next to me said,"Are you crying?" I really was crying,when he asked why,I just told him,I didn't play as well as I could have,I made mistakes,that I shouldn't have made,and I not only let my team down,but I let me down. I was much harder on myself than anyone else. No one told me I played bad,no one said I should have played better or where was my head at. I was the one hard on myself. Isn't life like that also? We have a team,our family and friends,that we play with. A team that can cheer each other on,laugh with one another,but in that team we make mistakes.Are the other players hard on us,or are we harder on ourselves when we make mistakes? It takes a whole body to make up the church.It takes members to make up our families,and friends to make our circle whole. Many times,yes,our family can let us down,friends can let us down,but for the most part they lift us up. We are going to make mistakes along the road.Others are going to make mistakes too.Do we just throw them off the team when they do make mistakes,or are we going to lift them up and pat them on the back and say,its okay,you'll do better next time? Everything in life that we do takes effort,it takes love,and compassion,but most of all it takes forgiveness. Each member of our softball team has their job,each one knows their position and how to play it. Whether you are in the infield or out in right field,your job is important.Whether you are behind the pulpit,or behind the scenes teaching,leading,counting,or making cookies for the kids,each job,each person is special and made for the whole teams benefit. We are made to work together as a team for the glory of God.Not one person is more important than the other.Not one person is better than the other. If you can walk off the field with your head held high,knowing you did your best,but still made mistakes,and your teammates are giving you a high-five or saying good job,or you'll get it next time, your going to do more for the kingdom of God.Now,if you walk off that field and all you hear is,"You stink" or "How could you do that?" How are you going to feel? Your not going to feel good about yourself,therefore,you won't feel good about your team,and you most likely won't want to be part of it. As we walk this road for Jesus,and as we are part of His family,we do our best,we cheer each other on,and we lift each other up,God is winning the game.If we are going to tear each other down,gossip about one another,and kill each others spirits,I believe satan is winning the game. This is the only game we do not want to keep score.We must allow mistakes,and we must allow forgiveness. If we all show up,suited up,and ready to play,we will never have to forfeit,and we will be on a winning team for Jesus. And isn't that what its really all about?
