The Olympics & Ministry

Twanna Henderson:

Welcome to T Time Spiritual Conversations for, with and about women. I'm your host, Twanna Henderson. And as always, please be sure to like this broadcast and to share it with others. Well, today I want to share with you about something that really spoke to me recently. of course, this summer was the summer Olympics in Paris.

And I really noticed some powerful lessons about unity amongst team members on the world stage, , specifically the men and women's basketball gold medal games between the U. S. and, and France. , these games were not just battles for gold, but they were master classes in collaboration, in resilience, and in celebrating each other's unique strengths.

And so there were some things that really stood out to me just about the power of teamwork. , of course, in Romans chapter 12, Paul speaks of , of the body having many members, each with his own function, , all working together as one. , and this metaphor came alive during the Olympic Games, where both the men's and the women's basketball teams from the U.S.

, faced formidable competition from France. , and so there were like three lessons that really stood out to me about teamwork. The first was unity and diversity. You know, just as, , each, , body part has a unique role. Every player on the court, , had a specific function, , whether it was scoring, defending, passing, or leading.

The success of the team didn't depend on one player alone but on how well they could synchronize their diverse skills to outmaneuver their opponents. And the teams were a living example of how our differences when united in purpose, can lead to extraordinary outcomes. So unity and diversity was there.

There was also, a sense of celebrating strengths. In both the men's and the women's games, there were moments where individual brilliance shown, whether it was a crucial, , three pointer, a defensive block, or an incredible assist. But what made these moments truly special was how the teams celebrated each other's strengths.

No one saw their teammates success as a threat. , instead they recognized that it is a vital contribution to the overall goal of winning the gold. So there was celebrating strengths, but there was also interdependence. You know, as Paul reminds us, each member belongs to all the others. And the games really highlighted this truth.

A player might be the star in one moment, but in the next, they will rely upon their teammate to cover them or to pass the ball or to create space.. This interdependence is what made them stronger, , together than they could ever be individually. You know, I think that what we can take away from these gold medal games and apply to our ministries and, and our personal lives is one to celebrate each other's gifts.

You know, just as the teams did on the court, we should celebrate the strengths of our, of our colleagues, of our ministry workers, those that we serve alongside. See, when someone excels in a task or brings a unique perspective, why don't we just acknowledge it? You know, this not only builds morale, but it also strengthens the bond between the team.

I think we should also focus on the common good. You know, the U. S. teams didn't just play for individual glory. They play for their country and for each other and for the shared goal of winning. And in our ministry areas or areas that we serve, we should keep our eyes on the common objectives that unite us rather than getting caught up in personal competition.

And then I think we should support and uplift one another. You know, in the heat of competition, when fatigue set in, the players leaned on each other, whether through a quick pep talk or by picking up the slack. Similarly, , in our areas that we serve and areas where, you know, we're being used, we should be quick to, to offer support when someone is struggling and, and graciously accept help when we need it.

So here's the thing. Let's strive to embody the spirit of these Olympic teams in our lives. Let's be people who, who celebrates and supports and, and uplifts each other, recognizing that our collective success is greater than the sum of our individual efforts. So when I looked up the stats of the Olympic men's basketball team and the number of years they each had been in the NBA at the time of the Paris Olympics, you know, there was LeBron James, 21 years in the NBA, Kevin Durant, 17 years in the NBA, Stephen Curry, 15 years in the NBA, and some others who were 12 years, 9 years, 15 years, 7 years.

And the roster was one of the most star studded in Olympic history featuring, , just a mix of, seasoned veterans and younger stars, all of whom made significant impact in the NBA. And you've got LeBron James who's played in his fifth Olympics being the most experienced while Anthony Edwards and Tyrese Halliburton are the youngest members of the team, each of just four years in the league.

What it let me know was that when we come together as one team, as one body, Truly we are better together. Let's pray. Lord, thank you for reminding us of these powerful lessons about teamwork, about unity. Remind us that we are one body with many members of different functions and, and different gifts. But each member of the body belongs to the others.

So Lord, help us to utilize our gifts according to the grace given to us and to celebrate the gifts of others in the body as well. Thank you, Lord, that we are one body. This is our prayer in Jesus name. Amen. Well, thank you for joining me for T Time. I'm Tawana Henderson. Be blessed of the Lord.