I am a Soccer Mom. Have been for more than a decade. All my kids enjoyed the sport, but the girls drifted towards volleyball when they hit middle and high school, and Thomas stuck with soccer. He’s come a long way from the early days, when the best the coach could hope for is that the kids kicked the ball towards the correct goal. Now, on a club team with kids inching towards college, the stakes are much higher. Practices are much longer. Games are much more intense. These boys play to win. And they play hard.
I am not athletic. Not even a little bit. When we first started putting our kids in sports, I knew very little of the terminology. I’m still not an expert, by any means. But I understand a lot more now than I did then.
One phrase I started hearing as Thomas moved from recreation league soccer to club teams is “Man On!” This is shouted as a warning – one of the opposing team players is coming after the ball that our player has. His teammates yell this because the player can’t see his opposition barreling his way. He’s focused on moving the ball down the field, keeping it in-bounds, positioning it so either he or one of his teammates can shoot it into the goal. But all that will be for nothing if the other team swoops in and steals that ball. Thus, “Man On!” is shouted, and our player knows to pass the ball or switch directions.
I was thinking of that this weekend, during an especially exciting game. The teams were quite evenly matched, so the boys all had to work hard. The opposition never let up, and our boys had to be constantly on guard. “Man On!” was shouted dozens of times, from both teams.
It made me think of the spiritual battle we’re all in. We are moving toward the goal of being like Christ. And we have major, intense, opposition coming against us constantly. We need “teammates” around us, shouting out help, warning us of when that opposition is headed our way. And we need to be that friend, too. When we see a friend considering a sinful choice, we need to shout “Man On!” — warn that friend that the enemy is coming after her (or him). We need to get in the game with them, surround them, so they have some help as they continue moving toward the goal.
So take a moment and look around. Are you part of a “team” that is moving toward the same goal? Do you have teammates around you who will warn you when the enemy is waiting to attack? To surround you as you move towards the goal? Are you being that kind of friend to others? If not, then , (excuse my High School Musical reference…) “get your head in the game”!
“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” Heb. 10:24-25
