The 2024 NFL Scouting Combine officially kicked off yesterday in Indianapolis, with defensive linemen and linebackers getting the first opportunity to display their athleticism in front of professional scouts. One of the day's standouts was Alabama edge rusher, Dallas Turner. He turned in a blistering time of 4.46 seconds in the 40-yard dash and leaped an impressive 40.5 inches during his vertical jump, cementing his projection as a first-round pick. Over the next few days, there will be no shortage of impressive athletic feats on the field in Indianapolis, and pro scouts will have the luxury of using tangible metrics to get a better sense of a player’s athleticism. As is usually discussed at this time every year, however, these tests of athleticism don’t always tell the complete story of how good a player is at the game of football. Scouts can use the tests as a reference point, but they ultimately must attempt to look past everything they can observe outwardly to try to get a pulse on a player’s intangible qualities. These intangible qualities, such as character, leadership, commitment, and intelligence, are impossible to gauge by physical testing but are vitally important to a player’s success. The best scouts are the ones who don't simply fixate on the things that can be measured, but who dig deeper to discover a player’s intangibles. Similarly, it's imperative that as followers of Jesus, we don’t forget about the importance of the “intangibles” in our lives. In Jesus’ letter to the church in Sardis, He said, “I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead” (Revelation 3:1b; ESV). The church in Sardis was noticed for its good deeds and had tremendous outward “measurables.” As far as outsiders could tell, it was a church that was alive and flourishing. But Jesus looked beyond what was outwardly visible by getting down to the intangibles of what was happening in the hearts of the people within the church. As important as it is for us to obey God with our outward acts of service, it's also essential that our thoughts, attitudes, and intentions are pure and honorable as we do those deeds. If we aren’t careful, we can convince ourselves that outward conformity to God’s requirements guarantees He's pleased with our actions. Yet, in reality, we know that God is incredibly concerned with what is going on in our hearts. 1 Samuel 16:7b (ESV) explains, “For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” Today, let’s take some time to reflect on our “intangibles” (our thoughts, motivations, attitudes, and intentions) and ask God to help us make sure our deeds truly measure up to God’s standards. As we notice anything impure within us, let's humbly repent of our sins. Simultaneously, let's also rejoice in the finished work of Jesus Christ, who paid the price to satisfy the wrath of God for the just penalty we deserved for all of our sins...both tangible and intangible. I’m Matt Osborne, and you can UNPACK that! PRAYER: Heavenly Father, please help me to correctly assess what is going on in my heart and mind as I serve You. Forgive me for any sinful thoughts, attitudes, or intentions that I have had, and show me how to live with a pure heart for the remainder of my days. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.
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