Week 42 | Lost Sheep

In our house, we have a saying: No Troll Left Behind. For us, this means nobody is left to do life alone no matter what is going on. We are family, and we do what we can for each other. When someone does well, we celebrate together. When someone is struggling, we rally around them and support them as they find their way back.

We also try to live this out in sports. When someone new comes to our team, we try to make them feel like they are an important part of our sports family. We do whatever we can to welcome them in, and we do whatever we can to bring them along with us.

But on most teams, somebody gets left behind at one point or another. It might take someone a little longer than the others to learn a play, a skill, or a rotation, and it can be frustrating for a teammate or a coach waiting for a teammate to catch up, but No Troll Left Behind. It is our job as teammates and friends to do everything we can to help catch them up and to support them.

Every athlete has a decision to make: Am I willing to do what it takes to be successful? But every coach and teammate also has a decision to make: Am I willing to do everything I can to create a space and provide the support that helps everyone on my team be successful? And if they aren't being successful, what am I willing to do or change to help them?

In Matthew 18, Jesus shares 'The Parable of the Lost Sheep' with his disciples. Jesus said:

For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost. What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying? And if he should find it, assuredly, I say to you, he rejoices more over that sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray. Even so, it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.

God wants all to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:4). He is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9)

What does it mean to come to repentance? Repentance means to change your mind. God knows that none of us are perfect, but He wants us all to live good lives, which means making the right choices and doing the right things. When we don't, He wants us to repent - to admit that we have sinned or done wrong, ask for forgiveness, and then choose to live right and holy every day.

Part of that is looking for lost sheep, helping lost sheep come back, and being supportive of lost sheep.

Every team needs great teammates who will support and be there for everyone through the good and the bad. We all make mistakes because no one is perfect. When we do, we need people looking for us and helping us come back like lost sheep, and we need people to rejoice when we find our way back.

THIS WEEK

1 - Be a searcher for lost sheep. When someone is struggling, do what you can to be supportive and help them. Then, rejoice and celebrate with and for them when they find success.

2 - Sometimes, it can be easy to give up on teammates because of their attitude and ability. Instead of giving up on people, what can you do to be a supportive teammate through success and adversity?

For a Good doc version of this devo, click here: Lost Sheep