Last night, ESPN debuted a new 30 for 30 documentary about former NBA star Dennis Rodman called, "Dennis Rodman: For Better or Worse."
As a kid who grew up watching and loving 90s basketball (especially the Bulls), I can’t help but have a soft spot for Dennis Rodman. He’s one of the most well-known, fascinating, bizarre, wild, and also saddest athletes to ever play.
Although I never fully understood the scope of Rodman when I was young, I was aware that his behavior was outrageous and unacceptable.
From head butting a ref...to kicking a cameraman...to dying his hair crazy colors...to wearing a wedding dress, Rodman always knew how to get attention.
On the surface, we could just conclude that he's an over the top and weird kind of guy, but I believe it's much more complicated than that. The truth is, you and I aren’t that different than Dennis Rodman.
Of course, we probably don’t have our lips pierced, but at the core of our being, we can relate to having insecurities and longings for acceptance and love.
During an interview leading up to the release of the documentary, Dennis Rodman had this to say: "I think after watching the film, they're gonna look at me and say, 'Wow! He didn't want no money. He didn't want no fame. He didn't want anything. He just wanted someone to take care of him and love him.'"
Listening to Rodman is heartbreaking in many ways because he’s a broken and complex man who experienced deep pain in his childhood. Unfortunately, his unresolved feelings resulted in some very misguided responses.
The reality is, God is love and we were made to encounter His love and give His love to others. When our understanding of this is off or we haven’t experienced this genuine love, then it can wreak havoc in our lives.
Deep down, we want to know we are fully loved. When we believe we aren’t, then we can easily act out. It may not be to the extreme of Rodman, but we act out in our own way nonetheless.
When we feel inadequate or worthless or have unresolved pain from our childhood, we do things for attention or in response to those feelings. We try to prove our value by seeking money and power or settle for substances to numb the pain.
So many people get caught up in the cycle of destructive behavior. When feeling unloved, unworthy of love or unable to love, the result is often making misguided decisions.
Whether it’s Dennis Rodman or any of us today, there is hope for our behavior to change when we accept the truth that the God of the universe, the creator, and the sustainer actually loves us.
God loves us despite our current messes and past sins. By sending Jesus to be a sacrifice for us, He made a way for us to know His love intimately and to experience it powerfully. Oftentimes, we just have to remind ourselves!
The Bible tells us in Ephesians 2:4-5 (NLT), “But God is so rich in mercy, and He loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, He gave us life when He raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!).”
The Bible is filled with verses explaining God’s love. Here are two that remind us of such a wonderful truth:
"Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God" (1 John 4:7 - ESV).
"So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him” (1 John 4:16 - ESV).
Everyone wants to be loved, but ultimately it’s God’s love we’re really longing for because nothing else comes close to filling the void. So when we realize His love is available to us, we can have peace in knowing His love is perfect...and completely transforms our lives.
I’m Bryce Johnson and you can UNPACK that!
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I confess that sometimes it’s hard to believe You actually love me. I know what a mess I am and there are so many ways I continue to fall short, but I’m so grateful that Your love and grace cover me. I pray I’d experience Your love in a more profound way and that it would continue to change the way I think and act. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.
Discussion Questions for PACKS:
What is your perspective of God's love for you?
How has your understanding of love affected your behavior?
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