When many of us sit at home on Sundays watching football in our recliners, we enjoy telling the coaches what plays to call and criticizing them when the offense isn’t moving the ball or converting red zone opportunities.

It’s not easy finding offensive coordinators that fan bases universally love. This coaching staff position usually takes the most heat because fans always want the offense to be better. Or when the offense is doing well, the head coach or the players get all of the attention and acclaim.

The player’s greatness and dynamic ability to make big plays are easily recognized, while we overlook the coordinator who is also critical to an offense’s success.

But when you start to take notice of the role the offensive coordinator plays on many of the top offenses, you realize his philosophy, play-calling, and coaching style have contributed to the offense’s explosiveness and allowed those players to thrive.

The Steelers are undefeated this season with tons of playmakers on offense, but how many fans can name the offensive coordinator? Probably very few because all too often the offensive coordinator is underappreciated and overlooked. (By the way, it’s Randy Fichtner!)

Plenty of people in the sports world are underappreciated, and their efforts go unnoticed. Unfortunately, the same is true in our own lives.

How many times do we overlook or fail to appreciate certain people who make our lives so much better? We’re usually thankful for the big things, but how often do we overlook blessings that appear small at first glance…and underappreciate them, too?

The challenge for us is to live a life of thankfulness where we appreciate the little things and don’t take for granted the people who have perceived smaller roles. It comes down to being intentionally aware of those who are contributing to our lives and our well-being.

It also requires us to have a heart filled with gratitude toward God and others, which ends up giving us great contentment and joy.

When we appreciate what we have and who we know, we’ll spend less time complaining and coveting. When we start looking around and noticing the key people God has placed in our lives who help us thrive, we’ll be filled with awe and appreciation.

Most importantly, each day we should show great appreciation for the grace and forgiveness God has given us through Jesus, and be aware of all He’s doing in us and around us and how much He values His people. No matter what is going on in life, we can remain grateful that He is with us and that He loves us.

Today as we choose to be filled with appreciation, let’s hold on tightly to these two verses:

1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NLT) tells us to, “Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.”

Colossians 3:17 (ESV) reminds us that “…whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”

I’m Bryce Johnson and you can UNPACK that!

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I pray I would be aware of Your goodness and love, and be filled with appreciation for all You are and all You’ve done. Thank you for the people and blessings all around me, and please help me not to underappreciate them. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.

Discussion Questions for PACKS:

  1. Who are the people you can admit you underappreciate?

  2. What does it mean to you when others show you appreciation?