The NBA season resumed last night after an extended All-Star break. The regular season ends April 10th, so over the coming weeks, teams will fiercely compete for a playoff spot and playoff seeding.
The Eastern Conference playoff race is expected to be extremely tight as 12 teams are in contention for only ten spots. For the first time in a while, the conference is deep with playoff-caliber teams and surprisingly, there's little separation in the standings.
Currently, the top six teams are only separated by 3.5 games.
Meanwhile, the Toronto Raptors are in 7th place and are 8-2 in their last ten games. The 8th place team, the Brooklyn Nets, are loaded with big-name players, yet they find themselves right in the mix with the teams fighting to get into the playoffs.
As NBA fans, we love that the standings are as tight as they are and that there's very little difference between the first-place team (currently the Bulls) and the teams further down.
It’s great for the league that so many teams are competitive, the star players are spread out on different rosters, and no team has pulled away from the pack. Watching games is a lot more fun when any team can win any night while the level of talent is very similar throughout the conference.
However, on the flip side, there isn’t a team that stands out above the rest and really shines. No team distinguishes itself as the clear-cut favorite in the East.
There's not necessarily a team that makes fans take notice as being the one that's emerged from everybody else. Eventually, a team must rise above and separate itself from being viewed just like any other team.
The question I want to unpack today is, as followers of Jesus, do we truly stand out? Or...do we claim to follow Jesus, but our lives don’t look any different from the rest of the world?
If God has called us out of darkness and into a life marked by grace, love, and obedience, doesn't that mean we should rise above the norm?
As 1 Peter 1:15-16 (AMP) puts it, “But like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves in all your conduct ; because it is written, 'You shall be holy (set apart), for I am holy.'”
Too often in life, we try to fit into the world and by doing so we act, talk, and think just like everybody else. However, when we follow Jesus and obey God’s Word, we'll shine His light and people will take notice.
1 Peter 2:9 (NLT) tells us “...for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for He called you out of the darkness into His wonderful light.”
As we pursue God’s best and choose to live holy lives, we'll distinguish ourselves, and will no longer be viewed just like everybody else.
People will know there's something different about us when we don’t talk and act like the typical person. We emerge when our priorities, values, pursuits, entertainment choices, financial decisions, and relationships stand out because of our commitment to Jesus. Philippians 2:15 (NLT) says, “Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people.”
Romans 12:2 (AMP) gives us this challenge: “And do not be conformed to this world , but be transformed and progressively changed by the renewing of your mind , so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect .”
1 John 2:15-17 (NLT) warns, ”Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.”
Today as we enjoy the last few weeks of the NBA season and wonder which teams will separate themselves, let’s be encouraged to live lives that are set apart, holy, and different from everybody else.
As followers of Jesus, we have the power of the living God within us, so let’s yield to Him as He renews our minds and transforms us into beacons of His light.
I’m Bryce Johnson and you can UNPACK that!
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I confess that I easily get caught up in the patterns of this world and my life can quickly look and sound like everybody else. I know I have a higher call on my life and You’re inviting me to stand out and be a light. Please help me as I pursue holiness. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.
Discussion Questions for PACKS:
What areas of your life look too much like the rest of the world?
What’s holding you back from a willingness to stand out because of your faith and live differently than everybody else?
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