During a losing season or bad game, it’s easy to give up on each other. In the Bible, Peter made a lot of mistakes. He made empty claims; did things recklessly; talked when he should have listened; and lied, cried, and almost died because of his immaturity. But Jesus never gave up on him, and he became a world-changer.

When teammates quit believing in one another, the fight is over. But when our respect for one another is unconditional, all things become possible. There is a respect that must be earned. But there is also a respect that must be unconditional. Unconditional respect is honoring one another no matter what. Following is the Team Covenant my teams adopted.

“To my teammates and coaches: I will believe in you and your potential regardless of your ability, performance, or past failures. I will trust you to grow, to rise to the occasion, to do the right thing. If you fail my trust, I will not give up on you and will do whatever I can to help you succeed. If I see a weakness in you, I will honor you enough to pray for you, and, if necessary, challenge you face-to-face to rise up to our higher calling. I commit to always treat you better than I treat myself. I will fight for your honor if you are attacked in any way. I will stick by you and stick up for you, always.”

God promises He will never give up on us. We must offer our coaches and teammates the same unconditional respect.