A Game of Inches - Pt 3

And with them we are sending our brother whom we have often tested and found earnest in many matters, but who is now more earnest than ever because of his great confidence in you. As for Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker for your benefit. And as for our brothers, they are messengers of the churches, the glory of Christ. So give proof before the churches of your love and of our boasting about you to these men. (2 Corinthians 8:22-24 ESV).

As a coach, you have to build your team up. In the game of football, defenses have to defend multiple types of offense, but before you can teach them to defend anything, they must learn how to tackle. It is a skill that is a simple expectation by the common fan, but every coach knows how important at every level it is to practice tackling. Tackling is a fundamental element of football that leads to success. This picture is one that shows the coaches working with repetitions of passing and catching. Sounds simple, right? In some ways it is simple; but, it is not easy. Practicing is a lot less fun than playing the game, especially if you are winning. That leads me to recommend you begin to practice the following fundamentals that are important to practice as Christian:  First, pray often, asking God to do amazing things in you and in other people.  Second, read the Scripture. This is how we listen to Jesus in order to do what He says.  Third, serve others. Helping other people connect with Jesus and connect with the church is a significant source of strength to finish well. Looking for opportunities to apply these fundamentals in your life can not only make a difference for you, but it will make a difference in the lives of others. When the church began and a man named Paul traveled around to help churches get started, he worked with a variety of people to share the message of Jesus. Paul describes one person, Titus, not just as another person on the team, but as someone he could trust: “As for Titus, he is my partner and co-worker among you; as for our brothers, they are representatives of the churches and an honor to Christ” (v. 23). It was through being faithful with the fundamentals that Titus was given more responsibility. The inches, every small choice we make, can be the difference between winning and losing. As a Christian, we know that in Christ we win, but we must also continue to fight for those inches, so others may receive the salvation that can only be found with Jesus.