My teammates were bewildered.  My coach was dismayed.  The crowd was confused.

My 8^th grade basketball team was pitted against a rival team that very cold night in 1982. It was one of those small town, everyone-gets-hot-under-the-collar kind of games.  The kind where, when you’re 14-years old, feels like a life or death match.

At one point in the game, I had stolen the ball from the opposing team’s point guard and dribbled to the basket as fast as I could.  Most of the other players were behind me.  The court ahead was clear.  I went in for a layup and scored!  An easy two points!

I was thrilled…until I noticed my team wasn’t cheering and the other team was laughing.

That was the mortifying moment when I realized I had just scored for the opposite team! 

I had succumbed to a moment of familiarity.  You see, just one year prior to this embarrassing flub, I had been a player on the other team!

Between my 7^th and 8^th grade years, my family had moved.  As a result, I had changed schools.  This game was the first time I had been on the court with my new team, facing my old team.  For just a moment, I had a lapse in judgment and thought I was, once-again, playing for my old team.

Have you ever done that?  Perhaps not in basketball, but in your Christian walk?

In the spiritual scope of things, there’s only two teams – God’s team and “the opposing” team.  According to Romans 3:23, we have all been a part of that opposing team at one point or another.  As a result, we became familiar with it – the rhythms of a self-centered life; the habits of selfishness; the team support of the world and all its trappings.

Joining God’s team is essential for eternal life and, ultimately, the best decision we’ll ever make for us and our neighbor; however, that doesn’t mean we’re not vulnerable to our old ways or one hot-button decision away from making a layup for our former team.

The truth is, we all stumble in many things (James 3:2), are prone to sin, and tend to get easily derailed in our faith journey.  So, what do we do if we find we just scored for our old team?  Get back in the game! 

I John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, He [God] is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

God knows our weaknesses and is forever faithful and kind to help get us on our feet, brush us off, give us some great coaching encouragement, and send us back on the court!

And, the wonderful reality is, the longer you play for God’s team, the less likely you’ll be to score for your former team.

It proved true for me in basketball, as well.  I went on to play with the same girls from my 8^th grade ball team for the next five years.  I didn’t make the mistake of scoring for my old team again. 

Lesson learned.

Until next time, Grace and Glory!