Before moving on to the NFL playoff matchups, I want to reflect on the weekend's games and their playoff implications.
Some teams had control of their playoff chances or seeding, and all they had to do was take care of business and win their game. Washington, Baltimore, the Los Angeles Chargers, Tampa Bay, Denver, and Detroit did what they needed to do.
At the same time, several teams needed to win and have other teams lose to determine their postseason standings, which meant monitoring multiple scenarios across the league. Not only were countless teams concerned about their own games, but they also kept an eye on what was happening at other stadiums.
The Falcons needed to beat the Panthers to get into the playoffs, but they also needed the Bucs to lose, so their attention shifted to see the status in Tampa Bay. In the end, the Falcons lost, and the Bucs won.
The Miami Dolphins focused on beating the Jets (which they didn't do), but they also were scoreboard-watching to see if the Broncos were winning or losing because they needed them to lose to get in.
The Packers peeked at the scoreboard to see if the Commanders were winning. They could have moved to the sixth seed with a win and a Commander's loss. However, they didn't handle their responsibilities after losing to the Bears, so it didn't matter. Plus, the Commanders won against the Cowboys anyway.
As many teams were concerned with playoff ramifications, others were jockeying for their position in the NFL Draft. As we can imagine, fan bases wanting a better pick were interested in what was happening with the Patriots, Titans, Giants, Jaguars, and Raiders.
Week 18 was all about scoreboard-watching. Many teams fighting for the playoffs tried to win while also wanting to know what was happening elsewhere. It makes sense that players would peek at the scoreboard and ask if a particular team was winning.
Yet, it was more important that players remain focused on their own game and responsibilities. If they weren't careful, they could easily get distracted or discouraged by how other teams were playing or could let someone else's game dictate how they handled the situation.
As exciting as scoreboard-watching was for us as fans yesterday, I'm afraid this behavior can negatively affect us when paralleled to life.
Let's face it: we are prone to keeping an eye on what everyone else around us is doing. We peek at the "scoreboard" and wonder if they are winning. Are they having success? How much more money do they have?
Of course, others can motivate and inspire us, but often, we are so concerned with their wins and losses that they distract us. We don't need to focus on what everyone else is doing. Instead, we must concentrate on what Jesus asks us to do and be good stewards of what He entrusts us with.
If we aren't careful, we can make decisions based on others' actions or get discouraged when we learn about someone else's results. If we worry about and monitor others' actions and how we compare, we can quickly lose sight of our calling, God-given gifts, and the "game" right before us.
We lose sight of our responsibilities, or we give up and stop trying as hard as we can because we think it doesn't matter compared to someone else's wins.
But what if we stopped keeping tabs on everyone and comparing ourselves and no longer worried about everyone else's work, accomplishments, and wins? Couldn't we remain locked into "taking care of business in our own stadium" instead?
Galatians 6:4-5 (AMP) challenges us: "But each one must carefully scrutinize his own work, and then he can have the personal satisfaction and inner joy of doing something commendable without comparing himself to another. For every person will have to bear his own burden."
Verse 4 of the New Living Translation says, "Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won't need to compare yourself to anyone else."
Today, let's not allow comparison and worrying about everyone else's outcomes to rob us of our joy and contentment, distract us, and discourage us. Instead of scoreboard-watching, let's work hard for the Lord, relying on Him and remaining diligent in what He asks us to do with the gifts He's given us.
1 Peter 4:10 (NIV) says, "Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms."
I'm Bryce Johnson, and you can UNPACK that!
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I confess I'm prone to keep tabs on other people and compare myself to them. It can cause negativity and distress. Help me examine my work and ensure it aligns with You and what You're calling me to do. I pray this in Jesus' name, Amen.