Heading into the NFL season, there are many teams with high hopes and expectations for success. Most teams made moves to improve their roster, and are looking to compete for a playoff spot…and then there is the New York Jets.
After a 5-11 season last year, they spent the last few months releasing key veterans, Brandon Marshall, Darrelle Revis, Nick Mangold, Eric Decker, and David Harris. Based on those moves, they appear to be going into full rebuild mode and most assume they are “tanking” to receive the top pick in the draft.
In anticipation of the season being difficult, and most likely filled with losses, we would expect the team and fans to have a low morale during training camp. However, I read an article on SI.com that described the mentality of the players on the roster as having hope, excitement, and energy. Even the crowd watching practice is still cheering, and the guys on the field are still fist bumping.
The Jets could easily pack it in, make no effort, and have a negative attitude. But instead, their attitude seems to be very positive as they focus on the excitement of a fresh season, and the opportunities for young players to get a chance to showcase their talent.
The players still on the roster must keep their perspective centered around team camaraderie, represent the name on the back of their jersey, and earn their paycheck. Their outlook isn’t to tank, but instead to play hard.
The sermon I heard yesterday at church, from Pastor Andy Guthe, was about how “our behavior portrays our perspective,” and how “an eternal perspective invites eternal fulfillment.”
It’s challenging to consider what perspective we’re operating under each day, and if the Bible, prayer, and our community are giving us an eternal one. Are we viewing our day-to-day life or present struggles through the prism of the fulfillment found in Jesus? Or are we “tanking” and being brought down by focusing on things that are temporary and unfulfilling?
Our approach to life can easily get caught up in the temporary, which leads to thoughts like “poor me, why me, and why not me.” This type of frame of mind can easily turn to anger, bitterness, materialism, and power.
The more fulfilling alternative is choosing to have an eternal perspective rooted in Jesus’ love and grace, which leads to humility, generosity, contentment, forgiveness, and faithfulness.
Since “our behavior portrays our perspective,” we must decide if we want to think and live for the now…or in view of what ultimately matters because of the hope we have in Jesus.
2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (AMP) offers us this wonderful perspective:
“Therefore we do not become discouraged [spiritless, disappointed, or afraid]. Though our outer self is [progressively] wasting away, yet our inner self is being [progressively] renewed day by day.
“For our momentary, light distress [this passing trouble] is producing for us an eternal weight of glory [a fullness] beyond all measure [surpassing all comparisons, a transcendent splendor and an endless blessedness]!
“So we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are unseen; for the things which are visible are temporal [just brief and fleeting], but the things which are invisible are everlasting and imperishable.”
I’m Bryce Johnson and you can unpack that!
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I pray I would realize that fulfillment is found in Jesus. Please help my perspective to stay rooted in that, so I can pursue humility, generosity, contentment, and faithfulness. I pray I would view my current struggles in light of eternity, and remain filled with peace and hope. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
