Last night’s National Championship game was epic with Clemson knocking off Alabama in the final seconds. The rematch lived up to the hype – especially watching Clemson pull out an exciting clutch win that many will consider an upset.

Among the countless storylines, moments, and reactions surrounding the matchup and victory, the words of senior linebacker and defensive MVP, Ben Boulware, resonate the most: “I’m so happy to see the fruit of our labor. All the hard work paid off. We controlled the input. We controlled our attitude, our mentality, our mindset and let the output take care of itself.”

Clemson impressively responded to last year’s loss in the Championship by working hard, staying focused, and keeping a motivated attitude along the way. I personally think Dabo Swinney is a coach you can root for because of the joy, excitement, and love he consistently shows his players.

He’s steadily built this program into a winner over the last eight years, and now the Clemson Tigers are the National Champions. As they celebrate such an amazing win, they will be enjoying the fruit of their labor.

When it comes to our own lives, we have journeys, challenging seasons, goals, opportunities, and plans in front of us. We have desires and dreams and are striving for accomplishments. We may never stand on a podium holding up a trophy, but we still have the chance to enjoy the fruit of our labor.

The Bible tells us, however, that we must first consider the root of the fruit. Psalm 128:1-2 (ESV) says, “Blessed is everyone who fears the Lord, who walks in His ways! You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands; you shall be blessed, and it shall be well with you.” 

Ultimately, if we want to experience God’s greatest blessings…the fruit of our labor…we must begin with a proper fear of the Lord. It’s essential that we worship, revere, acknowledge, and obey Him.

Blessings are awaiting us, but let’s remember to have the proper attitude and mindset toward the Blesser who deserves our reverence and praise. I’m Bryce Johnson and you can UNPACK that!

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, forgive me for not showing you the proper respect and worship that you deserve. I pray that I would honor You with my life while obeying Your ways. I desire to enjoy the fruit of my labor, but more importantly, I want to please and serve You. Thank you for all of the blessings that come from You. I pray this in Jesus’ name, Amen.