Whose side?

Dear family,

The other day i was watching a football game, between the San Francisco 49ers and some other team. I can't remember who they were playing, because the other team quickly became insignificant. Why? Because the cameras quickly panned over the 49er's sideline where the head coach, Mike Singletary, was yelling, big time, at his quarterback, Troy Smith. It got so heated, between the two, that Smith's old friend, Ted Ginn, had to come over and throw a towel in Smith's face to defuse the confrontation. It was drama at its finest.

And as i rehearse the scene, it doesn't shock me that San Francisco is terrible. They are a terrible team. They have loads of talent, no quarterback, but they are atrocious. They horrid. Why? Im sure there are more reasons than what i can name, and since i am not a football analyst or expert, i dont want to act like i have a clue, but it seems to me that one of the core issues is they dont like each other. They aren't a team. They are fighting against one another, and if a team cant stand together; they can't win.

This is true for all team sports, but it is also true for any business, school, or church. If the people are not united, under the vision, purpose, future of the organization; the organization is doomed, period. No living, breathing, organic structure can survive when it is fighting against itself. It cannot and will not survive, thrive, or grow. It will, on the other hand, in the image of the fig tree, whither and die.

The conflicts can have many layers, because we are dealing with people, and we are a complex animal. We all have opinions, and we think that our opinions are always valid and worthy of sharing, whether they are or not. We want to be heard, and we rarely take into account the affect or impact our words might have to the larger body, and that, my friends, leads to discord, disunity, and sideline fights between leaders. The victims of the discord: everyone.

But on the other hand, a team, a business, a school, and especially a church, united together, standing arm and arm under the same umbrella, loving, caring, and ministering to one another will build a house that not even the winds of Katrina could blow away. United we can withstand the hurricanes of this world. Fighting against each other, well it doesn't even take a cool breeze to shake us.

Perhaps the most revealing truth is this: God calls us to unite, in His Name, for His glory. And if we can't do that, if we are at odds on how to do that or even if we should, what does our future hold? The good is this: the coach for the 49ers was fired, but God doesn't fire His children. He gives them ample opportunity to do what He asks of them, and when they do, no matter how long it takes, God does amazing things.

One road leads to brokenness and confusion.

One road leads to revelation, healing, and unity.

Which one sounds more attractive? Are we choosing the right road? Are we willling to do what is necessary to stay the path? Amen.

Shalom,
jerry