What's in a Team?

It’s a pretty exciting time in San Antonio these days.  Three words seem to have now become our choice greeting…. Go Spurs Go!  Even as I was waiting for a rental car today in Columbus, Ohio, I noticed someone next to me that was obviously from San Antonio.  Our greeting?  Go Spurs Go. 

 Although I’ve only lived in San Antonio for three years, I have become a full-fledged Spurs fan. I’ve noticed that all around our city, we talk about Pop, Timmy, Tony and Manu like they’re our next door neighbors.  When I play basketball with my next door neighbor boy, he always asks who I want to “be” when we play.  I say Timmy.  He says LeBron.  Gotta love it.  (I guess we're stuck playing Lebron.)

Coach Pop recently said in an article “We don’t depend on one guy.  We depend on everybody.”

Coach Pop knows about team. He has developed an amazing team. A team cares for each other.  A team loves each other. A team assists each other for the good of the team.  A team member doesn’t seek out attention and fame for himself, but desires the best for the team. A strong team is fully engaged and do not sit passively on the sidelines.  A strong team shares with one another.  They look for ways to help each other be successful.  If others on the team succeed beyond a team member’s own abilities, he is ecstatic for them.  A strong team is selfless.  That’s our Spurs.

To be perfectly honest, there are times when I don’t feel like being selfless.  I want the credit.  I want people to notice.  And sometimes, if really honest, I might not want to cheer someone on who does a better job than myself.  Gulp.  Not fun to admit.  Sometimes our own humanness gets in the way of being a strong team member.  I’ve often needed to go back to Philippians 2:3 for quick reminder:  “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit.  Rather, in humility value others above yourselves.”  If you and I applied that verse to our lives this week, how would your team change?  How would your family life change? How would your friendships change? How would you change?  May God help each one of us embody the characteristics of a great team player. Go Spurs Go!

Nancy Abbott serves as Chaplain for the YMCA of Greater San Antonio.