It's been a wild season for the Pittsburgh Steelers as they’ve played extremely well in recent weeks, despite their All-Pro running back, Le’Veon Bell, continuing to hold out.
The team and Bell couldn’t agree to contract terms before the season, and yesterday it was confirmed that he wouldn’t commit to the franchise tag they were offering. This means he has passed on making $14.5 million and won’t be playing at all this season.
Bell has been one of the top running backs in the league and according to ESPN.com, “His average of 128.9 total yards per game from 2013-2017 is the highest for an NFL back over the first five seasons of a career since the NFL-AFL merger in 1970.”
As successful as he’s been for the Steelers, the two sides differ on the value he brings to the team. Bell has turned down their offers and the Steelers aren't willing to pay him what he thinks he's worth.
Although Bell has walked away from a lot of money, he holds out hope that another team will see his worth and sign him to a huge contract in the offseason.
The concept of value and worth play out in many areas of life as we assign money, time, care, attention, and service to what we value. We want others to value us and give us what we feel we deserve.
Oftentimes, there is disagreement on what something or someone is worth and it creates a scenario as we see with the Steelers.
Spiritually speaking, I think we can find ourselves at odds with God because we can’t come to terms on our worth. One line of thinking leads us to believe we’re worthless and there is no way God could love us or be willing to save us.
We don’t think we’re good enough to do what He’s called us to do and so we “hold out.”
However, the Bible reveals how much God loves and values us, even though we aren’t worthy and we’ll never be good enough. That’s the point. We need Him and His willingness to save us should be a great relief for us.
Titus 3:4-7 (NLT) reminds us “...When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, He saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy.
He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior.
Because of His grace, He made us right in His sight and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life.”
God is so rich in mercy and grace, that even though we bring little to the table, we’re valuable in His sight because of Jesus.
1 Corinthians 6:20 (AMP) says, “You were bought with a price . So then, honor and glorify God with your body.”
As we tend to forget where our value truly comes from, we also have to be careful not to think we’re so worthy and awesome that we’re owed something. Paul warns us in Romans 12:3 (ESV):
“For by the grace given to me, I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.”
Today, let’s walk in confident humility that we are valued by the God of the universe in our weakness and brokenness and we were bought with a price thanks to Jesus.
Let’s stop holding out and “agree to the terms” that God loves us and has called us to live a life worthy of the gospel.
I’m Bryce Johnson and you can unpack that!
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I thank you that I can find my value and worth in Jesus, not in my accomplishments or shortcomings. I’m grateful for Your deep love and the undeserving grace and mercy You show me. I pray this in Jesus’ name, Amen.
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