Looking back in the rearview mirror of my life, I remember one conversation with my junior
hockey coach that profoundly impacted me. His name was Bert Templeton. I had a love-hate
relationship with Coach. I hated him because he demanded so much from me, and I loved him
because he demanded so much from me. After practice one day, he pulled me aside and asked
a simple question: “Do you want to play in the NHL?” I remember thinking, Do I really need to
answer that question? Of course I do! He continued, “If you want to play in the NHL, you have to
do one thing better than anyone else.”
Immediately, I started taking inventory of my abilities. Was I the best skater? No. The best puck
handler? No. The best offensive player? No. The best defensive player? No. Panic started to set
in. I didn’t do any one thing better than everyone else. Then it hit me. I was pretty good at
everything. That would be my one thing. Who would have guessed that being above average in
every aspect of the game could carve out a 14-year NHL career? But it did. It was my one thing.
What’s your one thing?
In Matthew 22, Jesus defines our one thing. There were 613 laws in the Old Testament—365
negative commands (“Thou shalt not”) and 248 positive commands (“Thou shalt”). When asked
which commandment was the greatest, Jesus boiled it all down to one thing:
“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And he said to him, “You shall
love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.
This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your
neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the
Prophets.” (Matthew 22:36-40)
Jesus essentially summarizes the entire Bible in one word: LOVE. Love God. Love people. That
is the Christian’s superpower. That is how we win in life.
The Apostle Paul loved the church in Philippi. He had birthed that church through tremendous
sacrifice and suffering, and he desperately wanted to see it flourish. Notice how he prays for
them: “And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more…” (Philippians
1:9). Isn’t that interesting? Paul doesn’t pray that their theology would abound more and more.
He doesn’t pray that their Bible reading would abound more and more. He doesn’t even pray
that their prayer life would abound more and more. He prays that their love would abound more
and more. Paul understood that if you get the love part right, everything else follows. Bible
reading, prayer, obedience, service, generosity—they all flow from a heart captivated by love for
God. Love is the one thing that impacts everything.
“Love God and do whatever you please; for the soul trained in love to God will do
nothing to offend the One who is Beloved.” — St. Augustine
Over the course of my hockey career, I was blessed to represent the United States five times. It
is difficult to describe the thrill of wearing the red, white, and blue. At seventeen years old, I was
invited to Colorado Springs to try out for the USA Under-17 National Team, a precursor to future
Olympic and international competition. The best young players from around the country were
there, and years later several of them would be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.
As a young Christian, I was on my very best behavior. Not because I was particularly holy, but
because I wanted God to bless me and help me make the team. I was up early reading my
Bible. I spent extra time in prayer. I watched my language. I did all the right things. After three
grueling days of competition, the final roster was posted. Players crowded around the bulletin
board, frantically searching for their names. I still remember the rush of relief and joy when I
found mine. I made the team.
My heart overflowed with gratitude toward God. Then I did what any immature Christian might
do after God answered his prayers—I went out and got hammered drunk with my teammates.
I’m not proud of that moment, but God used it to change my life.
Around one o’clock in the morning, as we stumbled through downtown Colorado Springs, an
evangelist approached us on a street corner. “Do you know Jesus Christ?” he asked. My
teammates laughed him off and continued toward the next bar. But I couldn’t shake those
words. Do you know Jesus Christ? The question followed me. Almost instantly, a soberness
settled over me. I sat down alone on a curb, but I wasn’t alone. The presence of God was
unmistakably near.
The Lord spoke to my heart—not audibly, but clearly. He drew a line in the sand and asked,
“Adam, do you want to use Me for stuff, or do you want to love Me for Me?” That question
changed everything. In that moment, I realized I wanted the Lord more than the things He could
give me. Jesus wasn’t simply a means to an end. He was the end. Jesus went from being useful
to being beautiful.
Elisabeth Elliot tells an apocryphal story in her book These Strange Ashes. One day Jesus asks
His disciples, “Will you carry a stone for Me?” Peter picks up the smallest stone he can find and
follows Jesus. Later, Jesus tells them to sit down and take out their stones. He miraculously
turns them into bread, and Peter enjoys his small lunch.
The next day Jesus again asks, “Will you carry a stone for Me?” This time Peter finds the largest
stone he can possibly carry. He struggles beneath its weight for miles, expecting an even
greater reward. Finally, Jesus says, “Throw down your stones.” Peter eagerly waits. Nothing
happens. Jesus simply says, “Follow Me.” Confused, Peter stares at the stone and then back at
Jesus. The Lord asks, “Peter, who were you carrying the stone for?”
Ouch.
Who are you carrying the stone for? Do you obey God because you love Him, or because you
hope to get something from Him? Do you love God?
My wife Susan and I have been married for more than thirty-five years. We met in high school.
She was the prettiest girl in our senior class. That’s not just my opinion—I’m pretty sure it was
an established fact. After our first date, Susan told me she knew we would someday be married.
I wish she had told me that sooner. I spent most of our dating relationship terrified she was
going to dump me.
Here is a confession I’m not particularly proud of. At first, I was dating Susan because she was
beautiful. I wasn’t thinking deeply about her dreams, her calling, or even her soul. I just thought
she was beautiful. That may be enough to start a relationship, but it is certainly not enough to
sustain one. Over time, I got to know her. Friendship deepened into love. Respect grew. Shared
experiences bonded us together. That is what has sustained our marriage for more than three
decades.
My relationship with Jesus has been remarkably similar. I remember surrendering my life to
Christ at eleven years old after hearing a fiery sermon that essentially asked, “Do you want to
spend eternity in hell or eternity with Jesus?” Even as an eleven-year-old, the answer seemed
obvious. “I’ll take Jesus.” If I’m honest, I wanted fire insurance. I simply didn’t want to go to hell.
That may be an acceptable place to start, but it is a terrible place to stay.
Over the years, I cultivated a relationship with Christ. As I got to know Him, my love for Him
deepened. I discovered that Christianity is not primarily about escaping hell. It is about knowing
Jesus. Heaven is not merely a place for people who are afraid of hell. It is a place for people
who love God.
So let me ask you, what’s your one thing?