Belong to something bigger?

Our oldest son’s baseball season ended last night as they wrapped-up a successful summer campaign and a very long weekend at the ballpark. The boys played 11 games in 4 days, playing 5 on Sunday alone! They competed with great effort and finished runner-up in a tough tournament. As you might imagine, we took several photos to commemorate their accomplishment. The last pic captured was of the entire Outlaw family (or at least those present at the time). As I look at the cast of characters (players, parents, grandparents, and siblings), I realize the significance and value of those pictured.

Simply getting kids to games and practices or shuttled between fields and restaurants on tourney weekends can be quite the task in and of itself. We’ve looked to members of this community on several occasions for help. We’ve bummed rides and also given lifts to ensure the team was where they needed to be on-time. However, the importance and influence of this group is much broader than just being a taxi service for our son.

I’ve found that often words of encouragement and correction are more easily accepted when they come from the mouth of another. And this “family” has been there in full support. For example, I can tell Brooks, our son, what he’s doing wrong and it’s as if that message has fallen on deaf ears. Then another coach can come along and offer the very same instruction and he responds positively. Of course, the good news is that I get to do this for some of the other coaches’ sons as well. Yet it isn’t just the tough talks that are better received. Sometimes even comments of praise meant to build up can be more fully understood after others affirm them.

My guess is that our children know we love them and assume that has clouded our ability to think without bias. That’s part of what makes this “family” so special. The parents care for the other players as if they were their own children. Not an unhealthy connectedness, they just simply want to see them succeed. They root for them, pull for them, and remind these young athletes that they are and will be there to cheer them on, win or lose.

And really, that is the point of my sharing this with you today. The unselfish, tangible support that has been shown by this baseball family reminds me of the purpose we’re called to as believers. We were designed to share life together with others, looking for opportunities to encourage and reinforce truth to accomplish the same goal. It’s a reminder that we all have a role to play and a duty to fulfill. Others look to us and are dependent upon our faithfulness to be there and carry it out. After one of life’s tough innings, we all need a familiar dugout to return to, a crowd to inspire us, and a team to go back to work with.

I’m just curious how many of us actually feel that we belong to something bigger? I wonder how many of us realize that we are an important and necessary component to the overall growth and health of the body? How many parents have found these same principles applicable in a local body? How many of us are partnered with others to strive for something that doesn’t directly benefit us? What I’ve learned most in the past several months is this, where there is an investment of time, energy, and experiences, there is likely to be follow-up made to see things through.

So, are you part of a broader “family” group? Do you chase after Christ with other like-minded individuals? Similar to forming solid team chemistry, finding genuine, life-giving community can be messy and difficult. We all have blind spots, weaknesses, and areas to improve…and most of us think a little more highly of ourselves than we should. However, we were created to belong to something bigger for a purpose that is far greater than ourselves or even our immediate family unit. Like players from different parts of town join together to play for championships, Christ-followers from all types of backgrounds are called to unite and navigate the obstacles of this life for the glory of the Father.

Being vulnerable and fully known is a scary thing, but something we've been called to. I pray that we’d evaluate our connectivity to other believers and consider our involvement in the D-Train that’s coming up on August 11^th. The purpose of the event is to focus on facilitating opportunities for people to get engaged in discipleship-minded community groups. May we all “pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart (2 Timothy 2:22).”