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“Selfishness stops the flow of blessings to you and others.” — Brenda Johnson Padgitt.

@HOTrBaseball this past week on Twitter tweeted out: “When Tommy Pham signed with the Reds he said “I’m playing to get my numbers, man. I’m being dead honest with you…I’m playing to get some numbers. I don’t care about anything else. I’m looking out for me.” Nine games into the season he’s gone 1-26.”

Most folks involved in sports have heard the expression: There’s no I in team. Tommy Pham signed a one year $7.5 million contract with the Cincinnati Reds this year. On the 18th of April, his batting average was 0.038. Since then it has improved to 0.186, however, every player hits hard times. Slumps happen.

We all have good days/ weeks/months and we all have horrible days/weeks/ months. What makes it go smoother especially during the hard times? What encourages you during the slumps? Having a team. But, do y’all know what? It’s hard to have a team truly desire rallying around you when you make comments about looking out for yourself and being “dead honest” that you only care about your personal numbers.

True team work is when you cheer even harder and louder when you’re on the bench than you do when on the field. True team work is encouraging and helping each other especially when you think someone may be down and out or in a slump. True team work cares for team way more than for self. There’s a quote from an anonymous giver which says, “Selfish people often mistake selfishness for strength. It takes no talent, no intelligence, no self-control and no effort to sacrifice other people for your ego.” Ouch! Team work makes the dream work.

In Philippians 2:3 we read: “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.” James writes to us in his letter in the Bible: “So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you (James 4:7).” Imagine if we humbled ourselves and worked together.

How much more joy would you find in your home if everyone pitched in? How smooth would work flow if everyone did at least their own job completely? How much more invested would folks in your church family be if everyone helped in some way from welcoming people coming in, to doing bulletins, visiting’s, calling folks, working sound or video aspects, leading small groups or helping with any of the children’s church or youth programs, etc. Team work makes the dream work. I agree with Brenda Johnson Padgitt: “Selfishness stops the flow of blessings to you and others.”

Rev. J. Cameron Bailey is pastor of Kenbridge Christian Church. He can be reached at jamescameronbailey@gmail. com.