WATCHLIST WEEK 1:

F1: THE MOVIE

I’ll admit that I haven’t spent a ton of time following racing sports. I personally haven’t found as much entertainment value in watching cars drive in a circle for hours as the dedicated fans who seem to truly enjoy it! But one thing that has admittedly always fascinated me in races is the pit stop. In my mind, the drivers take a big risk anytime they need to pull over for a pit stop (what if they fall behind??) but I realize that these moments are essential to the cars being able to physically complete the race. The pit crew needs to change out tires, swap any faulty parts, make sure the systems are running optimally…and this all needs to be done FAST. In most F1 teams, the pit crew is comprised of about 20 people, and a well-executed pit stop takes less than 2.5 seconds. Read that again: two and a half SECONDS or less! So if the team is doing its job well, that risk I was concerned about on the driver’s part is not really a risk at all. A 2.5 second stop to keep the car running and increase the longevity and stamina of the vehicle so it can complete the race well? Yes, please!

Though it may look like a solo sport to someone like me who doesn’t know or understand how it all works, each Formula 1 team actually consists of between 300 and 1,200 people total! That’s a big team…and every single person plays their part to support the drivers and get them to the finish line. To me, this is a great motivator for what we should look like as the Church. We’re all on a team, and each member of the body is designed to play our part in helping the Church to function well. When one of us wins, we all win! But if any part of the body is out of alignment, it can be felt across the group. The same happens in racing. What if a member of the factory crew wishes she could be the driver who gets to stand on the podium for the win? What happens when a tire technician wants to be a strategist or a coach who calls the shots in real time? The sport only works well when each person does their part, does it well, and submits their role to the service of the team as a whole. 

What role can you play in supporting the Church? How can you bring your best in the body of Christ to help others to win the race and bring people to salvation? Imagine if we all worked together, supported each other, and became an example to those who are looking to the Church to see what true family and community is all about. When we humble ourselves and realize that it’s not about the individual as much as it is about the team, we can see amazing things happen. Just like the F1 team springs into action when someone calls out, “Box, box!” let’s be the kind of church community who lifts each other up for the win!