Read: Mark 12:28-34
About a year ago, I got hooked on the show “Friday Night Lights.” I love when Coach Eric Taylor rounds the team up for a pre-game pep talk. No matter what situation the Dillon Panthers are in, you can count on coach ending his speech with “Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose!”
In Mark, we see Jesus having a pep talk of His own. While speaking with a group of religious men called the Sadducees, one of them asks Jesus what the greatest commandment is. Jesus sums up the whole law in one statement: “Love the Lord your God with all of your heart, soul, mind and strength.” One of the men listening responds to Jesus by saying, “that’s better than burnt sacrifices or offerings.” Jesus replies, “Now you are starting to get it. You are not too far from the kingdom of heaven!”
Like the Sadducees, when we keep a spiritual checklist and put our trust in outward appearances, we miss the point. The Sadducees were big on burnt offerings because everyone could see them doing it. God isn’t interested in us putting on a show for Him. When we focus on having “full hearts,” we stop caring about outward appearances and begin to focus with “clear eyes” on what we were made to do, which is love God. Then, and only then, will our outward actions become genuine. You will go to church and worship because you have a “full heart” for Christ. You will serve others because you love God so much. It will be authentic.
Keep “clear eyes” on Jesus. Develop a “full heart” for Him. In doing so, you “can’t lose!”
