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Writer's pictureBryce Johnson

Watching vs. Seeing March Madness

My favorite weekend in sports just wrapped up after four days of non-stop college basketball!

We saw the top seeds get tested, but still win, and we witnessed Tennesee hang on after Iowa’s 25-point comeback...the all-time 3-point leader, Fletcher Magee, miss everything for Wofford...and no true Cinderella team advance to the Sweet 16.

I love watching as much basketball as I can during the first two rounds, so with three TVs going at the same time, my eyes bounce from one matchup to the next.

While keeping tabs on all the scores in case a game gets close, I have to turn off mute on one TV in order to focus on the most important game at that moment.

As someone who grew up watching the NCAA Tournament on CBS and remembers a time when we only had one game to watch on one channel, flipping between three games is incredible.

But even though I enjoy the options and flexibility it provides, I have to admit that it's challenging to watch so many games at once and nearly impossible to listen to more than one game at a time.

Since there are four days of continuous action to tune into, I've come to realize there's a difference between seeing and hearing a game...and watching and listening to a game.

When we become fully invested in one game, we experience each play and pay closer attention to what’s really going on. It's much more emotional, intense, and engaging than bouncing around between games because we’re actively watching and listening.

Something similar can happen in our own lives. Our minds can quickly drift from one thing to the next, and we can easily get distracted by a “play over here” and a “big dunk over there.”

We may hear our spouse talking to us or our pastor preaching to us or God speaking to us, but we're not always listening. Watching and listening are more intentional actions that cause us to pay attention and respond and not just casually see or hear.

We can’t pay close attention when our minds, eyes, and ears are all over the place and unfocused. It’s crucial we watch where God is moving, where temptation is coming from, and what people we admire are doing.

1 Corinthians 16:13 (ESV) tells us to "Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong."

Then we are challenged in Proverbs 19:20 (ESV) to "Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom in the future.”

Today, let’s be watchful, truly listen, and think about what’s really happening and being said in our lives. It’s time we turn off mute on the right channel...and shift our focus to what’s most important.

I’m Bryce Johnson and you can UNPACK that!

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I pray You’d remove the distractions that prevent me from really listening and watching You. I want to be fully invested and intent on knowing what You’re actually saying. Help me to be watchful and listen to Your teaching. I pray this in Jesus’ name, Amen.

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