As the storylines build for the Super Bowl between the Eagles and Chiefs, the one about Travis and Jason Kelce becoming the first brothers to face each other is a fun one. However, imagine how unique an experience it will be for their mom, Donna Kelce, to watch the game rooting for both teams. She’ll always be pulling for the offense because Jason is the center for the Eagles and Travis is a tight end for the Chiefs. In an interview with the NY Post, she said, “It’s gonna be really tough but I’m just gonna cheer my head off when the offense is on the field. So I’m gonna be screaming the entire game. I’m gonna root for both of ’em to score. A lot.” She also said, “I have a jersey where each shoulder is different. One’s an Eagles and the other one’s a Chiefs. And I have an Eagles jersey on the back, and I have a Chiefs jersey on the front with their numbers. There’s a 62 on the back and an 87 on the front. Travis had that one custom-made.” During the entire Super Bowl, she will have a divided loyalty as she goes back and forth rooting for each team when they have the ball. It makes sense that she’ll cheer for both of her sons to play great and she wants both teams to win, but in the end, only one team will come out on top. When it comes to our own lives, we can sometimes relate to having divided loyalties. We desire to follow Jesus, but we also like what the world offers. We want to please God, but we find ourselves also pleasing our flesh. We go back and forth, wanting both our flesh and our spirit to win. We struggle to pick a side and end up “wearing a jersey” or living a life that seems to represent both the world and God. We’ll cheer for God one minute, but then the world “gets the ball” and we start rooting for the pleasures it offers. Eventually, however, one “team” will win because only one can come out on top as our heart’s greatest desire and the one we ultimately serve. The Bible tells us in Matthew 6:24 (AMP), “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon .” Today, let’s be encouraged to value God more than anything else and move past our divided loyalties. Let’s be clear that God is the One we serve, the One our faith is in, and the One we cheer for unabashedly. Let’s go to Him for strength, direction, and wisdom with a heart and life that are aligned with Him...and no longer caught up in the trappings of the world. James 1:5-8 (NLT) tells us, “If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and He will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. But when you ask Him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do.” Praise God for the blessings and victories that are found by choosing His team and remaining loyal! I’m Bryce Johnson and you can UNPACK that! PRAYER: Heavenly Father, forgive me for my divided loyalties and wavering back and forth between You and the world. Please give me the wisdom and strength I need to live a life devoted to You and You alone. You are the One I desire to serve and value above anything else. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR PACKS:
1. What tends to fight for your attention and loyalties? 2. Why can't you serve two masters?
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