he defender passes the ball down the sideline to the midfielder. With only seconds left in the game, the ball is sent to the forward at the end of the soccer field. At the last moment, the forward scores the winning goal.

The body of Christ must work together just like a team works together. As a team comes together and works as one unit, each individual player becomes equally as important as the next. In a place of mutual respect, a Christian witness can yield much fruit.

Paul writes in Philippians 2:3: "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves."

Simple ways of putting others before yourself can show nonbelievers the worth they can have in Christ. Letting a teammate who doesn't get much playing time take your place during a few plays of football, or passing the basketball instead of making the winning goal for yourself, are ways to put others before you.

The apostle Paul further says in verse 4 that "each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others."

Sometimes being part of a team means making sacrifices. With a championship game coming up, if there is another player who is a better pitcher than you are, you may need to sacrifice some playing time to benefit the team.

Putting the interests of others before you shows your commitment to humility and servitude. In a competitive world, especially in sports, these Christ-like traits are very rare. Being humble and serving players around you can spark conversations on why serving others is a model of Christ's life.

In a sports environment, little actions can plant great seeds.

The temptation to submit to anger is great in stressful times during games. Whether it be football or tennis, ultimate Frisbee or volleyball, whenever there are seconds left and your team is down, everyone is on edge

Not lashing out in anger with your teammates over dropped passes and overthrown balls shows the self-discipline not only necessary in athletics but in spiritual lives as well.

King David wrote in Psalm 39:1 "... I will watch my ways and keep my tongue from sin ...."

A lot can be learned from the spiritual discipline of King David. Not only does the taming of the tongue keep us from sin but it keeps others around us focused on the game and not focused on anger or failure.

At one church, nearly every weekend the youth group played a competitive game of ultimate Frisbee. The players included middle school girls, high school football players, collegiate athletes and adults. The games would sometimes get intense, and each player would begin to grow tense and stressed as the score became closer to a tie. Whenever players would drop passes or miss throws, they would be yelled at and angrily discouraged from participating in the game.

The small group leader would always remain level-headed and calm throughout the game. His encouragement was to remember that each of the players, whether believers in Christ or not, were still made for God's glory and were God's children.

The children of God deserve the respect their name yields.

1 Samuel 16:7 says that "man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." God looks our hearts in all things that we do. If during games there is too much temptation for our tongues to lead to sin and we sit out instead of playing, God sees our obedience.

Chad also showed that God calls us to follow him the best we can. There is always a way out from temptation, and God always has a path of righteousness set before us. Sometimes sacrificing a game to stay away from the temptation of anger will bring us closer to God. This can also show our commitment to a deep walk with Christ to struggling Christians or those who do not have a relationship with the Savior.

The role of a coach can be a great witness as well. Showing each individual player that they have worth can show them that they have worth in God's eyes as well.

In Matthew 10:31 Jesus tells a story of God's children being worth much more than any sparrow in the air or flower in the field. Many people today know nothing of their worth in Christ. A coach being fair and showing equality can get the message of God's love across to the players.

For some kids especially, sports become the number-one thing in their life, and a coach may take on the role as a second parental figure. Showing emotional support in times of need and just being sensitive to the needs of children on the team is a way that a coach can make a huge impact in a person's life.

Jesus Christ has set out before us a path of righteousness to follow. This path is just as true on the soccer field and in the business office, the hockey rink and the home.

Christ came to serve - not to be served. If we are to model who Christ is in every aspect of our lives, the sports field can be an ideal place to be like Christ to those on the field who need him.