When I was in college, our FCA leaders were called the “God Squad.” We represented most sports and held each other accountable for our actions as ambassadors for Christ on the court and field. I remember after one game in which I got into a fight on the basketball court defending my point guard. My fellow squad members prayed for me that it would not negatively impact my testimony. I realized then for the first time that my life was either all godly, or all compromise. I apologized publicly at the next meeting for not representing Christ in public.

We later had a meeting that challenged us in regard to trash-talking. Was good-natured kidding that put down friends and teammates honoring to God? How did the things we listened to and watched impact our vocabulary and interactions? We were challenged to rate conversations, music, and movies according to these verses in Philippians, and to avoid anything that didn’t meet the standard. It was tough at first, but the reward of peace in mind, speech, and heart was worthwhile.