One of the joys I have this year is helping to coach the Lamar PeeWee football team. It’s a great bunch of 10-12-year-old boys. I work with the offensive and defensive lineman.

Last week, the day after we had played a game, the coaches decided to just let the boys have some fun on the practice field. And so, two captains were chosen, and then the two captains drafted players to join their team, and we had a big ol’ game of two-hand touch football.

It was great, but at one point, some conflict arose. The team with the ball said the play coming up was 4th down, but the team on defense said the last play was 4th down, and since was a turnover on down, it was the defense’s ball. Well, the argument just kept growing, each side getting more and more heated that they were right. And so, finally, I stepped in and said, “Since we can agree on who is right, we’re just going to flip for it.” I didn’t have a coin, but I did have my phone, and so, right there on the field, I said, “This side is heads, and this side is tails, and whoever calls, if they call it right, their side wins this argument.” And so, I flipped my phone. The offense called heads. It was tails. So, the defense won the argument and got the ball. Conflict over.

Sometimes in life, especially in inconsequential matters, the best way to resolve conflict is to just flip a coin. That’s not man’s advice. That’s actually God’s advice. We read in Proverbs 18:18, “The lot puts an end to quarrels and decides between powerful contenders.” A lot back in Bible times basically had the same function as flipping a coin today. It was a way to settle a debate or a dispute. They would cast a lot, trusting in the providence of God to settle the answer by how the lot fell.

We certainly don’t want to flip a coin for serious things. But when it comes to menial things like who gets the ball at kickoff this Saturday, just flip a coin and move on. Get on to bigger and more important things.

Change begins in you!