MOST INSPIRATIONAL PLAYER!
When my brother Lynn was playing football in his senior year in highschool, I remember one of the other players. I think his name was Bob! He was one of the best players! At the end of the school year when all the awards were handed out, he was given the trophy for the "Most Inspirational Player". As a spectator, I wondered why Bob, because there were many others I would have thought were far more inspirational.

I asked Lynn and he said because he was always asking the coach; "Put me in Coach, put me in!" It didn’t matter whether he was needed but he was always willing. Well, I still thought there were others that deserved that trophy more than Bob. But of course I thought Lynn was their most valuable player.

Have you ever thought of yourself as the most ‘anything’ player? I remember trying out for a choir in 4th grade and although I could read and sing alto, I was chosen last. However, because I was chosen last didn’t keep me from wanting to be in the choir nor from continuing my singing career, such as it was. At that time in my life, singing was still one of my favorites.

Through out the years, I became an encourager of those who are now doing my favorite things. I can be moved by those who are just learning to be team players as well as the veterans. I sometimes have problems with those who aren’t willing to play with those who are not as experienced as they think they are. But I can tolerate them! Everyone still needs to learn!

What do you consider to be the most valuable player on the church team? The one who is always there; the one who is early for practice and performance; the one who listens to the instructions and follows through; the one who is willing to help others; the one who complains the loudest, or the one who keeps trying. Have you ever been the most inspirational player?

"And Stephen, full of grace and power, did great wonders and signs among the people." Acts 6:8 We are all familiar with the story of Stephen! We know that he was young and courageous and was counted as one of the first deacons. The scriptures say that he was a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit. The leaders were afraid of Stephen because he spoke with such authority and wisdom. They set out to destroy him just as they did with Jesus.

In the early church, Stephen stands out as the ‘most inspirational player’! He not only stood up before the many leaders but he reminded them of the scriptures they taught and called them stiff necked people, unclean in their hearts and ears as they resist the Holy Spirit. Stephen was stoned! "Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing at the right hand of God!" Acts 7:56 How many team players have we stoned?

Not everything is done to my liking and not everyone is perfect in the part we play. But everyone is in a performance before God, not for each other. Not everyone performs the same tasks but are to become equipped; "For the work of the ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ." Ephesians 4:12-13

Paul continues with, "We are to speak in love, and to grow up in Christ because He is the head and we form the whole body, joined and knit together by every joint with which it is supplied when each part is working properly, continuing to grow and renew itself in love." Ephesians 4:15-16

Since the church is a body of team players, let us achieve to become inspirational to each other so that we can continue to grow and renew our body through love, encouragement and to "maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace!". Ephesians 4:3 Jane Ann