Many of us played on a sports team when we were younger. My favorite sport was basketball, and I was on a team throughout my high school years. There were a couple of things that stood out for all of us who played. I think that even a casual fan would observe the same things.

One was that we hated a “ball hog.” That’s a guy who only wants to score a lot of points. He shoots the ball every time he has a chance. He isn’t concerned about stopping the other team from scoring. His goal is to be the star of the team. Winning is not a priority. If he scores thirty points but the team loses, he’s not bothered at all.

Another thing team members usually learn is that in order to win, each person has a role. One player may not be able to score many points, but can get rebounds. Another may be really short, but can bring the ball up court to where it needs to be, even under pressure. Another may be a defensive specialist who can stop the other team’s best scorer. Another may be able to score on the other team. If the team is to be successful and win a number of games, all these players are necessary. It sounds a little corny, but they have to work as a team. The guy who scores the most points and gets the most glory in the press understands that he needs all the other guys on the team in order to be successful. The other guys are just as important as he is.

In Rom 12:3-5, Paul speaks of the Church in a very similar way. He introduces his discussion of spiritual gifts in these verses by describing the attitude we as believers ought to have. If I could summarize what he says, it would be that believers should see themselves as a team. Paul tells us what that looks like.

First, he says that a believer should not think too highly of himself. We should not see our gift as better than the gifts of others. The believer who serves in the local church in a very public way, such as a teacher, shouldn’t conclude that he is the star. He needs to understand that he is involved in only one part of what the church needs. This type of believer could easily fall into the trap of being like a ball hog on a basketball team.

Second, Paul says that we should not be jealous of the gifts of others. We should be content with the role we have in the church and not “aspire” to do what others do. This would be like the shortest player on the team being jealous of the guy who gets all the rebounds, forgetting that his ability to bring the ball up the court is also essential. It’s important to see that each of us has a gift that is needed.

Finally, Paul points out that we are members of a body. For a body to function well—to be successful—every part of the body needs to fulfill its role. It’s not hard to see the parallels to a basketball team.

It would be terrible to watch a basketball team try to win with a group of individuals who were only interested in serving their own interests in order to show off their own skills. A great scorer who does not value the abilities of his teammates will soon discover that he cannot get the ball because there is nobody to get rebounds, bring the ball up the court, or stop the other team from keeping the ball. The short ball handler who is jealous of the guy who scores a lot will become frustrated when he realizes that he can’t do what another player can.

A church that functions that way is also sad to watch. We are called to serve within a body. It is a body—a team. We each have a function. We are each indispensable. We should serve each other and the Lord with that attitude. That’s a winning combination.