Choose Your Teammates Wisely

“Don’t team up with those who are unbelievers. How can righteousness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness?” 2 Corinthians 6:14 NLT

In a story titled “How Conner Mantz and Clayton Young Use Teamwork in Training,” the writer shared six takeaways the Olympian runners and long-time friends felt led to impart to help other runners find the right person to train with—with the first one being “Find people with similar goals and outlooks,” and then went on to explain… Since their build-up for the 2023 Chicago Marathon, where both PRed (Mantz 2:07:47, Young 2:08:00), they’ve had near-identical competitive schedules. Mantz and Young typically run together six days a week. They do their main run of the day in the morning. Depending on their schedules, the two, who live a few miles away from each other, sometimes also meet for their shorter afternoon run. Why don’t they run together seven days a week? Both run their 100-plus-mile weeks while devoting Sundays to their faith. Being an outlier in that regard was one reason that Mantz decided not to join a more formal pro group. “I knew nobody else would be taking Sundays off,” he says, “and that added to the list of reasons to stay here.”

And you know, when it comes to picking the right ‘teammates,’ or people that you should associate with the most, train with, and depend on for support, the Bible is clear that true believers should only “team up” with other true believers. In fact, Paul, after warning the church at Corinth to not “team up with those who are unbelievers,” asked the question “How can righteousness be a partner with wickedness?” And of course, the obvious answer is it can’t. Because, contrary to what the world thinks, the continued influence of ungodly companions will lead a follower to go astray and away from what God has called them to do. On the other hand, teaming up with others that are living for Christ, will greatly enable and inspire a believer to stay on the right path and make it to the finish line. 

So pick your teammates wisely my friend. While it’s true that believers have to be in the world, they must not be of the world. Furthermore, believers are called to share the Good News and minister to the lost but they are not to fellowship with them since light cannot live with darkness. 

Heavenly Father, thank You for reminding us that we are to choose our teammates very carefully if we are to be victorious over sin and deception. Give us discernment in doing this Lord so that we can be part of a team that’s on fire for You and can fulfill the individual calling You have placed on each of us. It’s in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!