Love of a Team

There is something special and exciting about being on a team, and it’s more than the matching jerseys and team dinners. In training together, we grow in our relationships. By working together, we can push one another beyond our limits. By encouraging one another, we gain a bond that makes us stronger on and off the field. Teams work best when the people who make up the team support each other, inspire one another and love each other. Have you ever had a fellow teammate that you loved so much that the love you felt for them was like the love you feel for a brother or sister? That love is called phileo love—a brotherly or sisterly love that you have for someone who isn’t directly related to you or your family.

Phileo love is a gift from God, where we can develop a love and kindness for others who are in our social circles. On Earth, Jesus exemplified love perfectly to every person He came across whether it was people He ran into, His friends, His family, and even His neighbors. When news came to Jesus that Lazarus, His very dear friend, had died, Jesus was overwhelmed with sadness. Mary and Martha grieved and cried over the passing of their brother, and the Bible tells us that Jesus cried too. Jesus felt the pain that His friends were feeling and cried with them because He felt genuine love for them.

Whether you are currently on a sports team or not, God has called you to be on His team as part of the body of Christ. Having a strong sense of team and love for your fellow teammates affects the level of play and strength of the individuals as well as the overall team. The same is true for God’s team. As followers of Christ, when we love and care for those around us like they are our brothers and our sisters, our relationships with one another are strengthened. When the body of Christ is strong, our faith becomes stronger too. God did not ever intend your life to be one without a team. He created you for relationship with Him and with others; He created you to enjoy the love that comes along with having teammates to love and be loved by. Thank God for Team Jesus!