We’ve been wondering what happened to winter this year. It seems a bit of it has tried to sneak in on us this week. I actually pulled out my leather coat and wore it to church earlier this week. It was the first time I have used it since last year.

The weather this year has been strange, to say the least. I had a pear tree bloom over the week of Thanksgiving. A flowering crabapple tree was starting to bloom last week. But I don’t have the worst of it.

I read over the weekend that the azaleas at the Augusta National Golf Club, the home of the Master’s tournament, are already blooming. That means that for the first time in memory, they will not be in vibrant color during the tournament. Amen Corner will look bland and dull by comparison to most years, and that saddens many.

But I wonder about this. Do you suppose the golfers will notice? What if on Sunday afternoon two or three of the finest golfers in the world are locked into an epic battle? What if the tournament comes down to the final two or three holes? What if someone makes a spectacular shot or putt to win it all? Will the lack of azalea blooms take away from that? After all, isn’t the golf the main thing?

Sometimes in our churches we forget to make the main thing the main thing. People get hung up on the looks of the building, what people are wearing, and other things that are not the main things.

The two main things in the church are simply worship and evangelism. Jesus summarized them when he said that the two most important commands are to love God and love others. Those commands are best kept as we worship and evangelize. It really is that simple.

What would happen if those of us who are Christians would truly love the Lord and love those whom he created? Would we not make a greater impact on our world?

I would implore you not to get caught up in those things that really do not matter. Instead, love God and love each other. In doing so you will please him.