March 24: Holdout

Scripture Lesson: Matthew 22:37-39

Fernando Valenzuela ended his holdout from the Dodgers on this date in 1982, reporting to the Dodger’s spring training camp at Vero Beach, Florida. After earning just $42,500 as the National League’s Cy Young Award winner and the Rookie of the Year, the 21-year-old left hander had asked for a raise to one million dollars. The Dodgers renewed his contract for a reported $350,000 instead.

More than once, Jesus stood up to the Sadducees and the Pharisees, who sought to trick Him into doing something that would enable them to have him arrested. They were holding out, just waiting for Him to make a mistake. In our passage today, someone asked Jesus, “What is the greatest commandment in the law?” Jesus answered, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. And love your neighbor as yourself.” These two commandments summed up the Law and the Prophets. Even though they were holding out to catch Jesus in error, He once again gave the perfect answer. As in most holdouts in baseball, this one didn’t work out either.

1. What does it mean to love God with our entire beings?

2. What does it mean to love our neighbors as ourselves?

3. How can we show that kind of live in our daily living?

May this day and every day, we concentrate on loving God and other people. This world will be a much better place when we do that!