He Doesn't Need Me

In the NBA, there are always two storylines at the forefront of the discussion. There is the basketball talk about matchups, stats, and how teams are playing...and then there is the on-going soap opera talk about individual players and where they are going to play next. There is so much energy put into people speculating and arguing about what team a particular player is going to choose during the off-season. Because there is such a heightened interest in free agency and superstars have proven they’re willing to leave teams, media members are constantly writing stories and yapping about the possibilities of where they will go. Along with the trend of player movement, there continues to be an increase of players controlling their message and speaking directly to fans. With social media and player-run media platforms like The Players' Tribune, many athletes attempt to bypass traditional media. Instead of the two working together to give fans insight, analysis, and stories, players appear to view the media as the enemy or competitor. With Kevin Durant's pending free agency a big topic of conversation in NBA circles, he has developed a contentious relationship with the media. One of his recent rants included the statement, “They need me,” which I believe is at the core of the problem. Because the importance of athletes has become overly elevated, many of them think that everyone should fall in line with what they want and what they say. However, players need to realize they're allowed to do what they do and make the salaries they're paid because of the value fans and the media bring to sports. I love sports, but I would like to see the athletes experience a dose of humility and have a reversal in their thinking when it comes to how much everyone needs them - especially the media. With that said, athletes' perspectives are sometimes no different than our own. We can easily get caught up in feeling elevated by the important roles we have in life. This mindset is especially concerning when we mistakenly overvalue the notion that God needs us. We unnecessarily place undue pressure and weight on ourselves while also valuing our responsibilities more than we should. The truth is, God loves us beyond belief. He values us deeply and invites us to know Him, serve Him, and work on His behalf. Nonetheless, He doesn’t need us. He is perfect, holy, and powerful and can accomplish whatever He wants without us. Author, John Piper, says, “God has no need for us to meet. No, He glorifies Himself in meeting our needs.” The Bible says in Acts 17:24-25 (NLT), “He is the God who made the world and everything in it. Since He is Lord of heaven and earth, He doesn’t live in man-made temples, and human hands can’t serve His needs—for He has no needs. He Himself gives life and breath to everything, and He satisfies every need.” The footnote for this verse in the Amplified Bible says, "...believers are to serve God, but this is not a service that in any way actually benefits Him because He is perfect and in no need of anything which man can supply.” It’s my hope that we find this truth to be exciting, freeing and humbling. We serve an almighty God who is worthy to be praised and should be held in the highest regard. Let’s remain excited about serving Him, telling others about Him, and resting in Him...knowing He doesn’t need us, but actually wants us! I’m Bryce Johnson and you can UNPACK that! PRAYER: Heavenly Father, it’s freeing to know that You don’t need me, but invite me to join You in the work that You’re doing here on earth. I pray I would operate with Your strength instead of my own and humble myself before You. It’s in Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.