“The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body…In fact, God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be?” -1 Corinthians 12:12, 18-19
As an amateur cyclist (very amateur), I just love the Tour de France. For 21 Stages in just 23 days, 180 of the most highly conditioned athletes ride 2,200 miles through some of the most beautiful countryside and grueling mountains in the world. It’s considered the “Super Bowl” of cycling, and it’s arguably one of the most physically, mentally and spiritually demanding events in all of sports. The riders average over 100 miles each day and burn over 130,000 calories! And while most of us would find it hard to drive a car thru the Alps, just imagine trying to do it on a bike.
What I find most interesting about the Tour de France is that it is impossible to win it without the help of teammates. There’s no way that Lance Armstrong would have won seven straight Tours without the sacrifice of his teammates. He depends on their unique strengths of speed, power, endurance and even climbing at various points of the race in order to propel him to the front. In fact, when one rider drafts off the wheel of another, he can save up to 30 percent of his energy. And each member of the team takes turns leading the way and blocking the wind.
What a great picture of why, as believers in Christ, we need each other. We’re all part of the same team, yet we have different roles. In 1 Corinthians 12 we’re told that we’re all part of one body, but each one of us brings unique gifts and talents. Sometimes we get jealous when someone else is in the spotlight, especially if we did a lot of the work behind the scenes. But God wants us each to play our specific role—to use our unique gifts today to bless others. Today, embrace your role and understand that God is using you to bless your teammates and provide just what they (and you) need to win!
Have you ever had a teammate who was just out for themselves? Did it make your team better or worse?
Have you discovered your unique role on your team?
Have you discovered your spiritual gifts so that you can be most effective as part of God’s team?
Romans 12:4-8
1 Corinthians 12:12-30
About the Author:
Jimmy serves as the Mid-Atlantic Vice President of Field Ministry for FCA. As a twenty-year medical fitness leader and former National Director of FCA Health & Fitness, he hosts Fit Fridays on 95.1 SHINE FM. Jimmy is an author of four best-selling books – WisdomWalks, WisdomWalks Sports, PrayFit, and One Word That Will Change Your Life. He is a coach, cyclist and triathlete. He and his wife, Ivelisse, started a cancer foundation called believebig.org [1] following her victory over cancer. They reside in Maryland with their four children. You can e-mail Jimmy at jpage@fca.org [2].