Played in Portugal over the course of three weeks in the summer of 2004, the twelfth UEFA European Championship is widely considered to be a remarkable tournament. It featured the then teenage Portuguese sensation Cristiano Ronaldo, French footballing hero Zinedine Zidane, and the home grown English talents of Wayne Rooney and Steven Gerard who all scored for their respective countries. None of them picked up a winners medal that year, as not only did their sides fail to lift the cup, but the highly rated Germany, Spain and Italy were all knocked out in the group stage.

It was Greece, who began the tournament as 80-1 outsiders, who ended up triumphant, beating Portugal by a single goal.

Up until that point, Greece’s impact on the world wide footballing stage had been somewhat lacking. Although they had made it to the 1994 World Cup finals in the USA, they failed to win a single game. They didn’t even score a goal.

The problem seemed to be that Greek football was all about tribal enmity and the loyalty of supporters and players to the three largest clubs in the country, Olympiakos, Panathinaikos and AEK, at the expense of the national team.

Under the leadership of a new manager this all changed. National team first became the top priority, and it wasn’t long after making this the focus that results began to improve. The manager saw his team as a family and the players felt the same way. It made a huge difference.

In the first of his letters to the Corinthians, the apostle Paul explains how we are all needed  to play our part in the Kingdom of God. Rather than a sports team or family, Paul uses the analogy of a body, where eyes ears and hands all have a distinct and valuable role. Every part is needed, every part is wanted. The body is strongest when all parts are working together and left weakened when one is missing.

We all have varied skills and talents, gifts and expertise. When working as a team, where there is both unity and diversity, we should celebrate difference. It is here that our weaknesses are held in others strengths, and all under a God who made us as individuals to work together for his glory!

(October 2018)