Perspective

Well, that was a bummer. And it was made worse by the fact that we DVR'd the thing and didn't even start watching until almost 11. Which meant that we stayed up until 1 am for that terrible ending....

But as I laid there in bed waiting to fall asleep, my mind wasn't on the buzzer beating shot or the unfortunate tip-in moments before. This week some dear friends of ours are dealing with a diagnosis of leukemia. They are in the middle of all the testing and are still unsure of what their immediate future holds. One thing is for certain, their lives are changed. Their children are processing what it means and many questions are still unanswered. Something they do know, though, is that God is in control. They have asked for prayers and are confident that the Lord is hearing them and will answer in His time. I am praying they continue to feel that sense of peace as this journey unfolds.
And yesterday another family, who I do not know personally but have prayed for for 3+ years, lost their beautiful, precious 7-year old daughter to a brain tumor. They are grieving now, even as they imagine her dancing with her Father in heaven. In the silence of the night after the game was over I couldn't help but consider my priorities.

I am known as a pretty "enthusiastic" Carolina fan. I can smack-talk with the best of them, I love reading commentaries, statistics, and blogs about the team, and am usually counting down the days till basketball season starts. That's all fine and dandy-nothing wrong with that. But when the focus on a game becomes bigger to me than the focus on the people around me, my priorities are askew. When I find time to read the full scouting report for the game that night but only enough time for a cursory look at my Bible that day, my devotion is misguided.

Lord, let me see Your people as you do; make me empathetic to those around me who are hurting-in need of physical help or spiritual salvation. Help me be disciplined in my devotion to You and your Word, that those who see me will see a glimpse of You.

"Jesus replied, 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.' " Matthew 22:37-39