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Gospel-centered teammates fight against entitlement

Yesterday we looked at how Jonathan owned his mistakes and didn’t default to blame shifting. Oftentimes blaming others for our own shortcomings is symptom of a disease we will address today. It’s time to talk about entitlement.

This verse we are looking at today comes on the heels of David killing Goliath. By this point in the story, David is pegged as the next king of Israel. None of Saul’s sons, including Jonathan, would succeed their father on the throne. The young shepherd who had killed lions and bears—and now Goliath—had the nation’s attention. He had just moved into the starting lineup and taken Jonathan’s spot. How did Jonathan respond? He loved David as he loved himself. He committed to being one in spirit with David. How would you respond? Maybe you have had this exact situation happen to you as an athlete.

The disease of entitlement runs rampant in the world of sports. “I deserve this spot.” “I worked hard for my position.” “I am next in line when he/she graduates.” “I am better than them.” “What they did was not that impressive.” It is so easy to become bitter at those who “steal” our spotlight or our playing time. Gospel-centered teammates seek to put others above themselves, especially in moments when it is most difficult to do so. 

Maybe you have been on the other side of this situation where you actually “took” someone else’s spot on the team. You don’t need to be apologetic about this—but you do need to be sympathetic to your teammate’s situation. 

Questions to consider:

1. If you took a teammates spot, what would it look like for you to move towards them in a moment like this? 
2. If someone took your spot, are you mourning the fact that maybe you just were not good enough or that you deserved it more than them?
3. If you think you deserve the spot, have you talked directly to the coach about it?