“Then the Lord said to Gideon, “The troops are still too many; take them down to the water and I will sift them out for you there. When I say, ‘This one shall go with you,’ he shall go with you; and when I say, ‘This one shall not go with you,’ he shall not go.” So he brought the troops down to the water; and the Lord said to Gideon, “All those who lap the water with their tongues, as a dog laps, you shall put to one side; all those who kneel down to drink, putting their hands to their mouths, you shall put to the other side.” The number of those that lapped was three hundred; but all the rest of the troops knelt down to drink water. Then the Lord said to Gideon, “With the three hundred that lapped I will deliver you, and give the Midianites into your hand. Let all the others go to their homes.” So he took the jars of the troops from their hands, and their trumpets; and he sent all the rest of Israel back to their own tents, but retained the three hundred. The camp of Midian was below him in the valley. That same night the Lord said to him, “Get up, attack the camp; for I have given it into your hand.”  Judges 7:4-9 

{“The loaded mini-van pulled into the only remaining campsite. Four children leaped from the vehicle and began feverishly unloading gear and setting up the tent. The boys rushed to gather firewood, while the girls and their mother set up the camp stove and cooking utensils. 

A nearby camper marveled to the youngsters’ father, “That, sir, is some display of teamwork.” The father replied, “I have a system — no one goes to the bathroom until the camp is set up.”}

The military is known for developing troops into “well oiled machines” – knowing how to develop a system whereby goals are achieved by men and women working together as a team. I would suggest that most sports teams strive to do the same. In the Super Bowl played on February 4, we all witnessed two football teams that have worked tirelessly for months to function in this capacity – and we all were witnesses to a great football game.

My goal for the church and its members has always been the same – that we find a way to function as a “well oiled Christian team” – men and women and children working together to be the hands and feet of Christ – all functioning as the body of Christ. Of course, this is often easier said than put into practice. Whereas sports teams work together day after day to develop a unity of function, Christians within the body of Christ come and go with different goals, abilities, priorities and interests.

Paul spoke of the church as a body, saying in part: “The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” On the contrary, the members of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and those members of the body that we think less honorable we clothe with greater honor, and our less respectable members are treated with greater respect; whereas our more respectable members do not need this. But God has so arranged the body, giving the greater honor to the inferior member, that there may be no dissension within the body, but the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honored, all rejoice together with it.” (1 Corinthians 12:21-26)

Let us all work together as the body of Christ, for, as Paul says, it must be that the members may have the same care for one another – the more respected, and the less respected — together.

Pastor Dave