The Six Nations reminds us we're all part of a team

As the Six Nations continues, Rob Moye reminds us that we are called to be part of a team.

The Men's Six Nations Championship has kicked off again. For many sports fans, this is seen as the greatest annual rugby tournament, with high expectations from supporters.

Will Ireland be able to successfully defend their title without their coach? Can England or Scotland rise to the top? Will Wales shake off their miserable run of form? Can France or Italy dazzle, dominate or deliver something remarkable? 

Whichever nation you support, the question is: what does success look like? How many times have you heard somebody say ‘I’m winning at life’? What does that really mean? And is it a true reflection of the state of play?

On the opening weekend of the tournament, I was feeling somewhat deflated after watching Ireland defeat England. I watched and listened carefully and hopefully to new captain Maro Itoje as he was interviewed. 

Eyes wide open with encouragement, he inspired me with his honesty as he talked about taking the positives from the game, staying focused and building on things that hadn’t worked out – looking for opportunities and seeking momentum that could help him and his teammates move forwards.

The thing that really got me was when he said ‘I still believe in this group of players’. It got me thinking about rugby being all about teamwork and support.

I was reminded of Phil Jackson’s saying: ‘The strength of the team is each individual member. The strength of each member is the team.’

Verses in 1 Corinthians 12 remind us that the body of Christ is a team, made up of many different parts. We, the Church, are one body, made up of many different individuals who have placed their faith in Jesus. 

We are called to serve by love, called to build each other up, called to encourage, to support and strengthen each other in Christ by working together as a team.

Endurance, focus and finding joy in the journey are crucial. As believers, we are called to run the race set before us, keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, who designed and perfected our faith (see Hebrews 12:1 and 2).

I believe God is calling us to keep the faith, win or lose, in good times or difficult times, so that whatever we face in our everyday lives, we have an assurance that he believes in us, and calls us not to be the best on the team, but to be the best for the team.

Remember: God is with you always, on the pitch, in the pool, in the stadium, at home, at school, in your neighbourhood, with your running mates, and even as you watch rugby on the TV.

May you be aware of the power of Jesus in you and running alongside you, as he believes in you, and believes in team, so that together we all achieve more.

Reflect and respond

• How often are you tempted to define success in terms of ‘winning’?
• Are you trying to be the best on the team or the best for the team?
• Read 1 Corinthians 12. Remind yourself that you are a valued part of the body of Christ. Celebrate that it is the ‘same God at work’ (v6) in each part of the body.