THE CHURCH — A TEAM, NOT COMPETITORS
Some missionaries in the Philippines set up a croquet game in their front yard. Several of their Agta Negrito neighbors became interested and wanted to join the fun. The missionary explained the game and started them out, each with a mallet and ball. As the game progressed, opportunity came for one of the players to take advantage of another by knocking that person’s ball out of the court. The missionary explained the procedure, but his advice only puzzled the Negrito friend. “Why would I want to knock his ball out of the court?” he asked. “So you will be the one to win!” The short-statured man, clad only in a loin cloth, shook his head in bewilderment. Competition is generally ruled out in hunting and gathering society, where people survive not by competing, but by sharing equally in every activity. The game continued, but no one followed the missionary’s advice. When a player successfully got through all…
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