Far More Important
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. The second is, Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other command greater than these.” -- Mark 12:30-31
As a young athlete, I thought winning was everything. Whether it was a big high school game against our rivals or just a pick-up basketball game against my brothers, I wanted to win. One of the greatest NFL coaches of all time, Vincent Lombardi, once said, “Winning isn’t everything; it’s the only thing.”
In Mark 12:33, a religious teacher summarized Jesus’ words by saying, “To love Him with all your heart, with all your understanding, and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself, is far more important than all the burnt offerings and sacrifices.” At that time, burnt offerings and sacrifices were important. But this man realized that there was nothing more important than loving God.
What could possibly be more important than loving God? Maybe for you it’s not burnt offerings, but it could be your sport, your friends, your family, school work, winning, or anything in your life that tries to crowd out Jesus. Examine your heart today and ask God to show you what is keeping you from loving Him above all else.
- Do you value your sport more than your relationship with Christ?
- Is there anything else or anyone in your life more important than Jesus?
“Lord, I want nothing in my life to be more important than You. Pour out Your wisdom and help me to see what those things are. You are far more important than anything. Amen.”
