With one point left to win the game, we all scooted closer together to form some sort of a circle. We pressed the timer and the familiar tick-tock sounds began.
"Thing on the back of a cowboy boot"
"The spiky thing!"
"Shiny"
Seconds later the room filled with shouting, and laughter as players anxiously started wiggling in their seats.
"Heel?"
"Spur? Spur, I said spur!!"
"Ok! A part of time!"
"Days?!"
"Hours?"
"NO! Like longer than seconds!!"
"Minutes?!"
"Yes! Put them together!"
"Spur Minute?"
"Spur Second?"
The other team sat in silence biting their lips not to give the them the answer.
"No! Like when you do something without thinking about it!"
"Um! Rash decision?!"
"No!! With the cowboy boot!"
We started laughing while we watched the other team get frustrated with each other.
"Oh!! I got it!" piped their other team mate as the buzzer ticks were growing more rapidly.
"SAY IT!!!"
BUZZZZZ!!!
The other team went wild! They had won the game! While there was no real prize, bragging rights were up for grabs!
"Why didn't you say it?!"
"Because we're not on the same team."
The rest of the group erupted in laughter. They were on the same team, but somehow she had gotten confused which forced their team to lose.
While this was just a game and nothing was really won or lost, it makes me wonder if we ever get confused about whose team we're really on.
When you put on your wedding dress the day you get married, you're putting on a cheerleading uniform. You are committing to cheering for your team, your marriage, every single day no matter what happens. Whether he scored the touchdown or not, you're still cheering for your team.
This isn't a bragging rights type of game. It's bigger than the homecoming game against your rival school. It's bigger than the Superbowl or March Madness. This is a covenant between you, God and your spouse.
As you say, "I Do" you are simultaneously agreeing that you are becoming a part of the same team.
When we first got married it seemed that everything was turning into a fight and it wasn't over until one of us got our way (yes, we're both stubborn first born children). I remember we got to a place one night where we were both so tired of fighting that we decided to call a truce. We sat there on the couch trying to figure out how we even let it escalate this far.
That's when we made the decision that we had to be on the same team at all times. We couldn't put our own wants over what would be best for our team.
Matthew 12:25 says, "Knowing their thoughts, he said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand."
Read that one more time.
"kingdom divided is laid waste..."
"NO city or house divided against itself will stand."
Wow. Those are not things I want for my marriage!! However, if
I am not willing to root for my marriage and cause division, my marriage will not stand.
Today, I challenge you. The next argument you and your spouse are in, question yourself….
Am I willing to be a kingdom divided?
Am I putting my wants above the needs of our team?