Stepping Stones: Super Bowl Level Importance

Transformational Thought

100 million viewers, $2.8 million for a 30 second commercial, biggest betting day of the year, 1 billion wings eaten, the day most pizzas ordered, and the worst day for domestic violence.

The Super Bowl is an unbelievable event…so much emotion, buildup, and expectations. The winner is remembered and worshipped forever and the loser is branded a choker…forever. Commercials, mega halftime shows, plays, players and personalities are seared in our mind or become societal icons.

One Super Bowl a year is enough, just ask my wife…could you imagine 2 a year, or one per month, or heaven forbid, weekly Super Bowls? We would be overwhelmed, on edge, emotionally spent, fed up, bankrupt, hung-over, and paralyzed.

Life is the same way. We have “Super Bowl” events…getting married, child’s birth, loved one’s passing, first day on the dream job, an affair, grand vacations, kid with a disability, first day of school, child leaves for college, divorce, get fired. You get the idea - they don’t happen every week. Then we have some “playoff game” events and some other life events that rank on the very-important-regular-season-game level.

The reality: 99% of life is either an average regular season or even a preseason game in level of importance and impact. The problem: we react to a lot of our daily events as if they have the importance and impact of a Super Bowl or playoff game. We forget these same events within 1-15 days. We can’t handle the emotional rollercoaster of 6 Super Bowls a year, let alone 3 Super Bowls a day. While only few people are “drama queens”, most people fall into the Super Bowl mentality trap. We feel so many things in life are all-important and life-changing.

One of the questions I ask patients (that they, even females, repeat to me years later saying it really impacted them) is, “Does that event really rate the ‘Super Bowl‘ level of importance you are giving it?” The question really helps people gain a more eternal, Godly perspective about everyday events.

Today, remember Super Bowl magnitude events usually occur once or twice a year. Look at how you react to minor disruptions and ask yourself, “Self, is this situation really a Super Bowl event in magnitude and long term impact, or am I having an exaggerated response?” If you are inappropriately Super Bowling it, ask yourself “Why?” and “How often do I do this?” Parents, you’ll probably be amazed as you contemplate your reactions to your kid’s behavior.

Prayer
Dear Father God, thanks for being sovereign over all things…this truth, and faith in Your sovereignty gives me such peace in most situations. I confess though, that sometimes I over-react to the spiritual warfare and minutiae of the day and blow it into a Super Bowl level of importance. Give me discernment and the Mind of Christ to realize what really is important and what isn’t. I pray this in the name of the greatest ‘Super Bowl’ event of all time, Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection; And all God’s children say - AMEN!

The Truth
And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? If then you are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest?
Luke 12:25,26

And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Colossians 3:15-17