How can we get a collection of kids to go from a group of individuals with a variety of selfish ambitions to become a close knit team that works together towards a common goal? Further, how can we do so in such a way as to not squash their own unique gifts? This was the problem I faced as I coached hundreds of grade school-aged kids over a span of about twenty years.

The solutions that I came up with were customized to each group of kids depending on the personalities that I had to work with during any given season, but the desired outcome was always the same: I wanted to get these tyros to think team rather than self. One of the ways I did this was in free throws. I had noticed that some of our high school coaches were having everyone run a lap for each missed free throw that a teammate had. While I understood the need for conditioning and motivation, I noticed that punishing the collective for an individual's mistake tended to create a lot of bad feelings towards the ones who were missing their shots. The trick, then, was come up with a way to get the team to root for each other's successes, instead of dividing teammates every time someone failed.

The answer to the problem was surprisingly simple. I just told the kids that they were going to run ten laps. Then I would line them up for their laps and call to each girl to come shoot a free throw. Also, I had one rule that was consistent for all of my teams down through the years. If I ever heard a disparaging remark made by anyone towards one of their teammates, they got to run. These two strategies had an amazing effect on the entire team. Now, all of the team was shouting their encouragement towards each attempt by each player. Each success was celebrated, and each failure became an opportunity to console one another, for everyone comes up short from time to time and they knew how it felt.

I don't have to tell you how well a team that supports one another performs in contrast to a team that tears one another apart. Those teams received a lot of trophies over the years! More important, those kids learned the true value of loyalty and support from a group of teammates that they learned to love.

Now, moving on from games that children play to the real world. How well do you think this would go over in your work environment? How much difference could this make in your family? What if our politicians sought ways to work towards a common goal for the people they are supposed to serve, rather than the embarrassing free for all that we have in our current state of affairs?

And, what if those who were seeking to follow Christ had a loving spirit of comradery, instead of the spirit of selfish ambition that has seemed to become a hallmark of modern day religion? What if we thought along these inspired words of instruction given to the Apostle Paul? 

For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body - Jews or Greeks, slaves or free - and all were made to drink of one Spirit. For the body does not consist of one member, but of many.

I Corinthians 12:12-14, RSV

I believe if we had this loving attitude of supporting one another rather than tearing one another apart, we would have something that was worthwhile. Then, I believe that we could make a real difference in the world in which we live. One last thought: While I believe it is critical for adults to set the tone and be the teachers of our children, I also believe that there is a lot that we can learn from our kids, if we will just open our eyes and look.