WEEK 15- Feet and Hands and Eyes and Ears

MONDAY — Read the passage with your team.

12 The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body.  So it is with Christ.  13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body — whether Jews of Greeks, slave or free — and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.

14 Now the body is not made up of one part, but of many.  15 If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body.  16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body.  17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be?  If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be?  18 But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as He wanted them to be.  19 If they were all one part, where would the body be?  20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body.

21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!”  And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!”  22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor.  And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24 while our presentable parts need no special treatment.  But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for one another.  26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.

27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.

1 Corinthians 12:12-27

What does this passage have to say about work habits?

Why is that important?

TUESDAY — Discuss the passage with your team.

1) What do verses 18-19 teach you about your role on your team?  Do you believe that God has given you the abilities that He wants you to have, and that He has a purpose to use those gifts to benefit your team?  How should this understanding change your attitude and work habits?

2) The parts of the body are mutually dependent on one another. (v. 15-17)  How is your team dependent on each member of the team?  If one person is not fulfilling his/her role, how does that impact the team?  What responsibilities are you not fulfilling well?  How is that affecting your team?

WEDNESDAY — Discuss the passage with your team.

3) Do you treat all members of your team as important? (v. 21-22)  Do you recognize the value of all of your teammates and coaches?  Do you do this on a regular basis, or are you often too focused on yourself?

4) How can you and your team create daily habits of recognizing the value of each member of your team?

THURSDAY — Discuss the passage with your team.

5) Do divisions exist on your team?  What impact will those conflicts and problems create, if you allow them to linger?  How could a more like-minded attitude impact your team’s experience this season (v. 25-26)?

6) How can you express concern for your teammates?  How will you work if you are committed to the well-being of your teammates?

FRIDAY — Discuss sport applications of work habits and pray together.

Ask your athletes to briefly reflect on what they’ve learned about work habits this week, and to repeat some of those things.  (Remind them of some of the Biblical truths about work habits you’ve discussed, if necessary.)

Ask your team, “Based on what we learned about work habits this week...What does an athlete with godly work habits do?”  Do not settle for vague answers; challenge your athletes to go beyond general qualities of an athlete with godly work habits, and to determine what those qualities look like in action.

Add the results to your team’s list of descriptions of the “athlete with godly work habits”, and be sure the list is displayed somewhere that is constantly visible, as a reminder to the team.

Pray together as a team.  Encourage your athletes to pray for your team’s growth in regard to the discipline of work habits — especially in relation to some of the issues and challenges that you discussed together this week.  Challenge them to also ask for forgiveness, when applicable.  Give time for athletes to request prayer (regarding work habits or anything else), and pray together.