Construction or Destruction?

A couple nights ago, I was sitting with my two oldest kids watching "Remember the Titans." This is a great movie — one I love to watch — but my children made me think about one particular part in the movie. The team was at training camp and Coach Boone was trying to get them to work harder. He spoke very rough to his team and did not let them have water during practice. Many of us in the coaching profession would call this "Old School," but to my kids it was a different story. My daughter asked me a tough question, "Daddy, would you ever talk or treat your team like that?" Pow! Smack! Bam! Like Batman of old, upside the head, it hit me. I was just like that at times. I was a destructive mess with my team.

Does this happen in our spiritual walks or with our Christian teams? Sure it does! We go "Old School" on other believers by throwing our religion at them, instead of opening the book (God’s Word) to them. We become judgmental or negative and gossip about those in the body of Christ when we should be encouraging them to become stronger in their faith. Paul encourages us in 1 Thessalonians 5:11 to build each other up in God's Word and faith in Him. We have a choice: we can build the body of Christ in word and deed, or we can destroy it in the same fashion. What team to do want to be on — the construction crew or demolition derby?

Coaches, let me encourage you that every player on your team has value as a person and a player. Find the good in them every day. Sure, they will disappoint, frustrate and make you angry, but at the end of the day, they still need to be encouraged. Whether you are "Old School" or "New School" as a coach, we all need to be schooled by God in the art of encouragement to others.