Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.

(Mark 12:30 NIV).

The story is told of a young actor who wanted to impress a famous movie director. He couldn’t afford an extravagant gift, so he came up with what he thought was a clever plan. He found an expensive vase that had already been broken. Since the store was going to throw it away, he bought it for almost nothing and asked them to mail it directly to the director. His idea was simple: when the director received the vase in pieces, he would assume it had broken in the mail but still be impressed by the gift.

A week passed with no word. The actor finally sent a telegram: “Did vase arrive?” The reply came back: “Vase arrived. But why was each piece wrapped separately?”

Unfortunately, that’s how many of us treat life.  We carefully divide ourselves into little compartments: one piece for work, another for family, one for hobbies, one for friends, and then, maybe, a tiny piece for God. We might give him an hour on Sunday, a quick prayer before meals, or a portion of our paycheck. But it’s all carefully wrapped up, neatly separated from the rest.

The problem is, God never asked for a “piece” of us. He doesn’t want a sliver of our time or a corner of our hearts. He wants the whole thing. Jesus said, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.”

That means that faith isn’t just a Sunday morning habit.  It’s how we approach Monday at work, how we treat our families, how we handle stress, and even how we enjoy recreation. God wants to fill every part of who we are, not be wrapped up in a box marked “religion.”

It’s important to ask yourself: Is God getting just a piece of your life, or are you letting him have it all?

Prayer: Father, I confess that too often I try to give you just a piece of my life instead of my whole heart. Take all of me — my time, my thoughts, my work, my family, and my future.  Help me to truly love you with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Alan Smith
Reprinted with permission from Alan Smith’s Thought For the Day