God's Coaching #296

God's Coaching #296

Have you ever ridden in a pumpkin boat? No, not a pumpkin-colored boat—an actual pumpkin. That may sound silly, but thousands of people gather every year in Tualatin, Oregon, to take part in the Giant Pumpkin Regatta.

At the 2010 competition, Jay Collins impressed the spectators with his hollowed-out 1,042-pound pumpkin that had an engine attached to it. Jay looked relaxed sitting in his pumpkin and revving the electric motor. But Jay didn’t win the race that was created for paddlers in gigantic gourds. The seventh annual West Coast Giant Pumpkin Regatta came down to two of its fiercest teams—the Tualatin Valley Fire and Rescue and the Portland District US Army Corps of Engineers. These two groups battled for vegetable boat domination year after year. In 2010, it was decided the winner would be the team that got all of its participants across the finish line first. Although it was a firefighting team that crossed the line first, a firefighter also paddled the last pumpkin to finish, so the engineers claimed the victory.

What’s the Score?

Pumpkins can be good for a lot of things. They make nice decorations, a yummy pie, or an awesome boat. In 2010, the Tualatin Valley Fire and Rescue workers proved the old adage that a team is only as strong as its weakest player. When a firefighting team won the race, it looked like the firefighters would take home the victory. But the engineers all finished closely together to gain the overall victory.

As Christians we need to look for ways to help the weaker people around us. This is true in our lives and on the sporting field. Instead of getting frustrated by a teammate who doesn’t have the same skill level as you, look for ways to encourage him or her to get better. The Bible says to “encourage those who are timid. Take tender care of those who are weak. Be patient with everyone” (1 Thessalonians 5:14). By helping our weaker teammates, we make our teams stronger. And when we give assistance to the weaker people in our lives, we make our communities better places to live.

On the Ball

Have you ever been frustrated by a weak teammate? What did you do? Maybe you were the weakest player on a team. Try to always be patient with your teammates, and help them to play better.

Coach’s Comment

Brothers and sisters, we urge you to warn those who are lazy. Encourage those who are timid. Take tender care of those who are weak. Be patient with everyone. 1 Thessalonians 5:14