Back when I was young I played sports. In 1984 I decided I wanted to play basket
ball, so I went to try out for the team at the Boy’s club. I found that I was
not real good with making baskets except free throws and I could not dribble the
ball well. I was not really good at the game, but I made the team mostly because
I was one of only 7 who always showed up and stuck with it.

We spent the
first part of the season in the gutter only winning 3 games but in the second
part of the season we took off and only lost 1 game the rest of the season. I
could make an occasional basket from 2 point land and actually made about 3 from
the 3 point land, but mostly I would get assist, or free throws, I was a 80%
freethrow shooter. Our coach became happy for us because we began to work as a
team, and that is what took us through the rest of the season and into the post
season.

During the post season we remained the under dogs, but managed to
keep winning. We made it to the championship game which the truth be told
surprised everyone including us. We lost the game by 2 points, which broke our
hearts, but we knew we had done our best to win and give the coach something to
be proud of. We were named co-champions which you can say we came in second
place. We didn’t hink much about it at that time, we were just happy to have
survived the season after the awfull way we started.

Did you know there
is no second place in heaven, We will all be equal. The thing we need to know is
that as long as we do God’s will and alllow him to work in our lives we are
sowing seeds. The coach mentioned during the trophy presentations that had we
not all worked together we would not have made it that far. It is the same with
God, he wishes us to be one body working together for the gospel of christ. Some
of us may do some on our own but be better in assisting others with their work.
Others may be born learders, yet all in all we should work as one body and be
willing to help out where we can.

Remember in heaven there is no second
place for Only God is the leader there and all others follow him. What we do
here on earth builds our reward in heaven, but it does not make us above anyone
there.

Rev. Leslie Campbell jr