Football Sunday: Selecting The Wrong Player  

The word “select” means “carefully choose as being the best or most suitable.” When watching NFL games throughout the season, the word “select” is behind many of the outcomes that take place.  Owners select general managers, who select head coaches, who go on to select their assistants. The GM and coaches then select players to be drafted, to be signed, to make the 53-man roster, and to start each game. Every selection along the way creates a culture, a team identity, and a locker room atmosphere. Great selections lead to winning (Tom Brady anyone?)…and bad ones can be very detrimental.

Teams are often forced to move forward after learning a tough lesson about “carefully choosing the best or most suitable” players for their team.  We can’t always choose our co-workers, neighbors, or family members, but many of the outcomes in our lives are affected by the people we spend the most time with.  Those we fellowship with influence a “winning culture,” “team identity,” and “locker room atmosphere.” Selecting people for our inner circle can negatively or positively influence our thoughts, perspectives, and behavior, and ultimately change the course of our lives.

1 Corinthians 15:33 says, “Do not be deceived: ‘Bad company ruins good morals.’”

If we don’t fellowship with those who build us up and are on the same page, we can easily be led down a path of selfishness and chaos and eventually have to “release them.”  We can still love and cheer for them, but they won’t be able to remain in our “locker room.”  Today, let’s be encouraged to “select” people who inspire us to be more like Jesus and motivate us to greatness in all areas of life…just as we do for them.