Rotations to the weakside

Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those without strength and not just please ourselves.
                                                                                                           —Romans 15:1

I coach youth in basketball, and one of the most important lessons you can teach children on offense or any game with a ball is to reverse the ball. This action starts with the player dribbling ball on one side, the strong side, then moving the ball to dribble with the other hand, known as the weak side, and then reversing it back. The sides change names — the side that had the ball is now the weak side, and the side with the ball is now the strong side. Got all that?

This concept is essential for youth to understand because most defenses don’t have the focus or attention span to pay attention to the newly created weak side because of ball reversal. Defenders on the strong side don’t often come to help on the weak side because it requires more effort. However, the better teams are constantly aware of defending against ball reversal and their responsibilities of adapting to the switching of strong and weak sides.

This reality in sports highlights a truth in life that being on the strong side does not absolve you of your responsibility to those on the weak side. Paul the Apostle states, “Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those without strength and not just please ourselves.” In this context, the Greek word for ought, opheilo, means an obligation or a duty, signifying that those who are strong in faith have accountability for those who are weak. Here are three points I’d like to share.

Differences Should Not Cause Division

In this sports analogy, we can see that while pursuing the same goal on a team, we may have moments when we are strong or weak. How would a team function if those on the strong side had nothing to do with those on the weak side? The first point to remember as we seek to continue Christ’s mission is that strengths and weaknesses among us can never be an excuse for division.

Paul wants us to know that we are not isolated but live, minister, and serve together in a community. Individuals with strength should not absolve themselves of responsibility while loading it upon the weak, nor can it be an excuse to avoid others through rationalizations based on perceived significance and status. Stronger nations, many cultures, and even individuals of faith have prospered themselves while exploiting those who were weaker. Yet, in Christianity, Paul desires us to exhibit a better model. The strong Christian is to look out for the weak Christian, even if their failings are self-inflicted and impactful to us all. Paul desires unity with one voice to glorify God (Romans 15:6).

Grace Covers My Weakness

Successful and unified teams know how to rotate and cover the weaknesses of their team members. No, we are not advocating making excuses for another and allowing poor habits. Instead, we are lifting high the beautiful notion that grace covers a multitude of faults.

Paul demonstrates this point in the use of the Greek word opheilo. I am responsible and accountable for any weakness on my team. Selfish individuals only care about their responsibilities, but selfless individuals know that being on a successful team involves being willing to carry out their duties and being ready to rotate and assist with the needs of their team members. Members from the strong side are eager to rotate and help their team members on the weak side, even if it means taking a hit, receiving a penalty, or being embarrassed in a highlight poster moment. They are there for their teammates. They cover for the asthenema, a Greek word meaning the failing of another.

This coverage is not born out of selfish motives, the desire to exalt oneself, or the need to shame another; however, it is built on unity and togetherness, which conveys a willingness to look out for the good of another.

When we rotate from the strong to the weak side, grace becomes the driver that covers the weaknesses of those closest to us.

My Weakness Is My Strength

Just as an offense can move the ball and create a side of strength, a wise team on defense can turn their weakness into strength. When groups are united and are grace-filled to rotate to the inadequacies of teammates, we then demonstrate the behavior of carrying or picking up (bastazo in Greek) the responsibilities of those who cannot.

And here is the most beautiful part: when we function together, our weaknesses do not remain weaknesses for long. They are now strengths. The atmosphere and culture are filled with transparency, vulnerability, humility, self-sacrifice, and unity, so much so that the opposition can only see strength. While the concept of “me” still exists, it has been updated and integrated with the idea of “us.”

In His strength, Christ demonstrated His willingness to identify with us by covering our weaknesses when we were not representing Him the best. There was no gap between His strength and our weakness. His strength covered us completely. Paul admonishes us to do the same for one another.

—Carl Ricketts Jr., MDiv, BCC, is director of Chaplain Services for Loma Linda University Medical Center.