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Key Bible Verse: "A kingdom divided by civil war will collapse. Similarly, a family splintered by feuding will fall apart." (Mark 3:24-25). Bonus Reading: Romans 15:5-6

During my four years of college basketball, I played on two quite different kinds of teams, different not so much in talent but in degrees of unity. Playing a long season on a team racked by dissension among players caused much of the joy of playing to be lost. But the unified teams on which I played produced some of my most treasured memories and most enduring relationships.

While unity is a prerequisite to sustained success, it rarely just happens. It has to be sought and taught. It's the responsibility of the leader to do all he can to build with those who contribute to unity while being willing to sacrifice to eliminate the causes of disunity. Successful coaches often get rid of very talented players who cause disunity. The remaining players are often more successful. Don't be afraid to eliminate the source of disunity from your enterprise.

In my basketball experience, however, the leadership that produced most of the team's unity came from a player rather than from the coach. The titular leader is not always the one who instills unity in his team. Conversely, unity can be easily destroyed by almost anyone.

—Bob Briner in The Leadership Lessons of Jesus

My Response: Although not the official leader, a primary morale booster in my grouping is _____.

Thought to Apply: There's too much Pluribus ("many") and not enough Unum ("one"). —Ken Burns (on our generation compared to the one that fought World War II)

Adapted from The Leadership Lessons of Jesus (B&H Publishing, 1997, 1998, 2008) by permission.

Copyright © 2009 by the author or Christianity Today International/Men of Integrity magazine.
Click here for reprint information on Men of Integrity.

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Prayer for the Week

Lord, help me to realize that other Christians really are my brothers and to treat them as family.

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