By Matt Osborne, Staff Writer

Despite a 4-6 record, the 2023 Colorado Buffaloes have remained in the national spotlight throughout the season. Of course, the cause for the ongoing media attention has to do with the presence of head coach, Deion Sanders.

In his first year in Boulder, Sanders has captivated many college football fans with his unique combination of possessing an old-school mentality when it comes to attitude…and having a new-school mentality when it comes to putting together a roster.

Though the Buffaloes have had their fair share of struggles in Sanders’ first season as head coach, we can’t lose sight of the fact they finished with a 1-11 record just a year ago.

Results haven’t come as quickly as some people would have hoped (including Sanders), but there’s certainly a captivating buzz and lots of positive momentum surrounding Colorado with Sanders leading the program.

As is usually the case in college football, a coach who has his program heading in the right direction catches the attention of more than just his own fan base.

In the aftermath of Texas A&M announcing the firing of head coach, Jimbo Fisher, media members began to immediately speculate that Sanders might be a top target for the coaching vacancy in College Station.

Sanders fielded questions about his interest in the Texas A&M job at his weekly press conference and made it very clear he has no interest at this time.

He said, “I want to win, I want to win a game. So you think I really do sit down and think about that kind of stuff?…Come on, I’m good. We’ve got to win. Let’s focus on this week, and we play Friday, so we lose a day of practice, so we gotta focus.”

He then addressed the media members who have been advocating that he leave Colorado to take the Texas A&M job by commenting, “We here.  I get mail here, I pay taxes here. I don’t hear that. Maybe our recruiting staff hears it, but I don’t hear it.”

Sanders’ main point at his press conference seemed to be that he was too focused on trying to win games with his current team to think about what outsiders were saying about his potential to coach a different program.

As followers of Jesus, many of the “failures” we experience as we attempt to faithfully and obediently navigate life happen as a result of distractions. However, many can be avoided if we, like Sanders, narrow our focus.

Hebrews 12:1-2 (ESV) tells us, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder, and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”

This passage remarkably connects believers laying aside their sins with the action of “looking to Jesus.” The more we focus on who Jesus is and what He’s done for us, the more we walk in obedience because we delight ourselves in Him.

A similar concept can be seen in Psalm 16:8 (NIV) regarding how we remain steady while facing trials and difficulties in life: “I keep my eyes always on the LORD. With Him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.”

While it’s good for us to be aware of the various temptations and challenges in our lives, our primary means of fighting well (“wanting to win”) against those difficulties isn’t to thoroughly analyze the things we’re trying to avoid. Instead, it’s to be so enamored with the glory of Jesus that everything else begins to pale in comparison.

2 Corinthians 3:18 (ESV) says, “And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.”

In other words, the more we focus our attention on Jesus, the more we become like Him!

So today, let’s intentionally narrow our focus to gaze on Jesus, disregarding the distractions, and trusting that He utilizes these efforts to bring about spiritual growth in our lives.

I’m Matt Osborne, and you can UNPACK that!

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, please forgive me for all of the times I get distracted by things that pale in comparison to Your glory. Help me to keep my eyes focused on You so I might live a life pleasing in Your sight. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.