Teamwork… Winners and Losers

The Euros continue. Daily football matches are analysed, managers and players criticised… Teams of footballers working together… Tonight it’s England’s ‘big game’…

A couple of weeks ago there were 24 teams; we shall finish with 1 winner… and therefore 23 losers. It seems strange… we create competitions where the vast majority lose.

…But there are millions of winners – spectators, armchair experts who share the excitement, the drama, the skill, the frustration…

Yesterday I read an important announcement: Anton Du Beke is to be a judge on ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ this year.

Instead of footballers the ‘Strictly’ team includes musicians and dancers. The winner will be decided not by the number of goals scored but by the views and votes of the TV audience.

There’s only one winner in the dance competition… but millions of winners enjoy the competition, the spectacle, the glitter, the glamour and the entertainment…

The workmen arrived this morning and started work on our patio. There’s certainly teamwork – three men digging, flattening, cleaning, preparing, concreting – together…  

We’re all winners – we’re entertained watching them; they’ll be winners because we pay them; we’ll be the ultimate winners because we have a nice patio.

I’m fascinated by church history. Down through the centuries men who were supposed to be on the same side opposed each other. Teams competed. The conflict was intense.

With frequent own-goals, there was little sportsmanship shown; spectators not involved in the competition have clear opinions; there were often no winners. I’m sure somewhere down the line, whatever the apparent outcome, God has the deciding vote.

Musing this morning on: ‘Love and faithfulness meet together; righteousness and peace kiss each other.’ (Psalm 85:10) … with England tonight, ‘Strictly’ in the Autumn, the workmen in our garden (and politicians?!)…

More importantly this is a place where people and God are involved together in perfect teamwork. There are no spectators, clear criteria for success and all can be winners.