We are One
Liz and the gang’s soccer team face fierce opponents when they play the Lagarto City Junior Dragons. Gaby Tegu joins Liz’s team. Whose side is she on anyway?
Before You ListenLet's Get Started
Theme: Look for similarities when playing on God’s team.
1. Galatians 3:28 says “For you are all one in Christ Jesus.” What does it mean to be “all one”? Does that mean that everyone needs to be the same? How do you show community?
2. Nehemiah 4 tells the story of the Israelites rebuilding the wall in Jerusalem. The work was difficult. At first, the people became discouraged and gave up. So, Nehemiah, the leader of the Israelites, organized everyone into teams. With their shields and swords, half of the people stood guard and protected everyone. The other half built the wall. Then, they’d switch and take turns. Nehemiah also organized the workers by families so everyone was supported well. When the Israelites worked together like this, they made much more progress on the wall. Think about this kind of teamwork as you listen to today’s program.
After you listen
Quiz
A: He says, “buenos tacos.”
3. List some negative names that Liz, Cole and Spike used to describe the Lagarto City Junior Dragons.
A: They called them “the enemy”, “monsters,” “they are nothin,” “bad guys,” “Lame-o City,, “nasty competition.”
Reflect
In this story, Liz and the gang play a competitive soccer game against the Lagarto City Junior Dragons. Whenever you play a sport, like soccer or basketball, or a game, like cards or Scrabble, do you think that God cares who wins the game? No, he doesn’t.
However, he does care about how you play the game, how you treat your teammates, and how you treat your competition. The Bible says in Colossians 3:17, "and whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the father through him." Think about this verse next time you’re playing a board game or when you step onto the baseball diamond. “Sportsmanship” means playing by the rules and being gracious in victory or defeat. Give thanks to God for the teammates you play with and give thanks for the people on the other team—even if they win the game and you don’t.
Challenge
Organize a family game night. You could play a sport together or play a favorite board game.
Encourage each other to avoid saying phrases like, "No fair!", "You cheated!" or "It wasn't my fault we lost!" Find ways to encourage every player by saying “Way to go!,” “Nice play” and “You did a great job.”
The tricky part is that sometimes you might react negatively before you even realize it. The best thing is to cool down and give yourself a second chance to respond to the other player. Playing games can lead to a lot of arguing. But if everyone decides to play fair, it can be a lot of fun. That might mean giving other players the benefit of the doubt, even if you feel cheated. The great thing is that people like playing with good sports who enjoy the game and enjoy playing with others.
