The NFL offseason is underway and the league’s deadline for teams to place a franchise tag on certain players from their roster passed yesterday.
The teams that exercised this option and the players who were tagged include the following:
Bears - Allen Robinson
Bucs - Chris Godwin
Panthers - Taylor Moton
Jaguars - Cam Robinson
Saints - Marcus Williams
The NFL’s salary cap and the way they structure contracts can be complicated, but the franchise tag allows a team to sign a player for the upcoming season at a salary that is calculated by averaging the top five salaries at the player’s position (across the league) in the current year.
Even when a player is tagged, the door remains open for a team to sign a player to the long-term contract in the coming months, but this gives the teams options.
In other words, teams are allowed to drag their feet because they can still keep a guy for one more season without having to commit to anything longer than that.
The tag demonstrates they value a player, but usually not enough to go all-in. They have questions, doubts, and hesitations while wanting to see how things go during the upcoming season before committing to anything more. Once the season is over, the team might go in a different direction without the player.
As fans, the franchise tag being used on players from our favorite team sends a mixed message to us because it’s a temporary deal and we’re not sure where the team really stands on a long-term commitment to the player.
Unpacking a team’s approach to the franchise tag makes me wonder about our commitment level to God. The truth is, oftentimes we hold back because we’re unwilling to go all-in on a "long-term deal” with God and end up taking it season by season.
When we face something tough and need help, we cry out to Him in prayer and total surrender, but then when life starts to get “good” and we feel like we don’t need Him as much, we go in our own direction without relying on Him.
However, James 1:5-8 (NLT) gives this important warning: “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.”
Just like a team using a franchise tag, we may drag our feet and halfway commit to following Jesus, by keeping our options open and not fully locking in long-term.
We know the door is open for us to commit more seriously, but we have questions, doubts, and hesitations and want to see how the season plays out first.
This may be understandable initially, but eventually, this half-hearted approach sends a mixed message to those watching us because they can’t figure out if we’re temporarily pursuing God or truly in for the long haul.
Jesus died on the cross, rose again, and saves us from our sin. He's not inviting us into a casual life of following Him, but rather an all-out commitment as His disciple.
So, do we hold on tightly to God with everything we have and truly love Him according to these convicting commandments?
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might” (Deuteronomy 6:5; ESV).
“'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment’” (Matthew 22:37-38; ESV).
Today, let’s be encouraged to live a life that is fully devoted to God because He is worthy of our whole heart...instead of just “tagging” Him for a season.
“Therefore, your hearts are to be wholly devoted to the Lord our God, to walk in His statutes and to keep His commandments, as today” (1 Kings 8:61; AMP).
I’m Bryce Johnson and you can UNPACK that!
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I pray I would be wholly devoted to You, fully surrendered, and committed to loving You with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength. Please show me how to live in a way that demonstrates I’m all-in. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.Discussion Questions for PACKS:
What is your commitment level when it comes to being fully devoted to God?
Is there anything holding you back from making a long-term commitment to God?
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