Last night, the Golden State Warriors won their second NBA Championship in three years by living up to expectations and eliminating the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Knowing the great impact LeBron James has on the game, I thought the Cavs would win the series. But in the end, the Warriors proved to be too talented and too dominating.
Even though LeBron was still incredible throughout the Finals (he averaged a triple double), the headlines are all about the Warriors winning and Kevin Durant being named MVP.
Ever since the surprising news broke about Durant joining the Warriors, we’ve been debating whether or not we liked that decision and have been discussing how easy it would be for them to dominate.
Some people have enjoyed watching the greatness, but many have criticized Durant for joining the team that knocked his Thunder out in last year’s playoffs. They have asked how a great player like Durant could join an established and winning team like the Warriors.
When it comes right down to it, fans and the media are more likely to support and praise individual efforts over team accomplishments. Because we’re more amazed when an athlete carries a team on his back, Durant joining other stars on the Warriors hasn’t been viewed as favorably.
However, there is something to be said about Durant’s display of humility. By admitting he needed help to win a championship, he was willing to surrender and join the winners…and give up some of the glory and credit he would have received if he had tried to do it on his own with another team.
As he made the decision to put aside his pride and adapt to the Warriors’ way of doing things, he was able to fit right in and follow their plan all the way to the Championship in his first year.
Beyond the sports world, our mentality is often about our own accomplishments and the belief that our way is the best. There is a lot of value placed on individualism and self-accomplishments.
As hard as it is for athletes to go against this trend and admit they can’t do it on their own, the same is true for us.
But as followers of Jesus, we must accept that we are in need of a Savior and can’t accomplish anything apart from God. We need to recognize that the “me mentality” is empty and worthless, and we will always fall short when we try to do it all in our own strength.
On the other hand, when we acknowledge how truly weak we are and how desperate we are for help, we can experience the unstoppable power of God working in us and through us.
Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (NLT), “Each time He said, ‘My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.’ So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
Today as we witness the Warriors celebrating their championship, and Durant experiencing what true NBA winning feels like, let’s be reminded that admitting we can’t win on our own is the first step toward true victory.
I’m Bryce Johnson and you can unpack that!
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I need help from You and others to do anything worthwhile. I know that in my weakness your power makes me strong. I pray each day that I would surrender to Your way and submit to Your plans instead of my own. I’m thankful I don’t have to live life in my own strength. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
