Out Of The Spotlight

Out of the Spotlight

The way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. . . . You will grow as you learn to know God better and better. . . . You will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. Colossians 1:10-11

Muhammad Ali’s signature line was “I am the greatest.” The more he said it, the more people watched him—even if they were only watching to see him get beaten. He had supreme confidence in his ability, and he knew his attitude sold tickets. And because he fought in an era when not many black men had been able to stand up and be bold, he became an icon in the African American community. His swagger was a novelty.

That was somewhat true of Joe Namath, too, when he guaranteed a win in Super Bowl III, delivered on his promise, and became a larger-than-life star. The idea of the humble athlete—the guy who let his skills do the talking—was on the way out. The media loved the sound bites because they made good highlights and attracted attention. A big mouth became cool.

Today this “look at me” attitude isn’t uncommon at all. Maybe it’s an ego trip for some players, but for most it’s driven by a need to survive in a world where so many others stand ready to take their places. The more SportsCenter moments they have, the more viewers they will draw and the more valuable they will be to their team—and the more they will be paid. At least that’s what they think. They feel they need to blow their own horns because no one else will. And it seems to work.

This “look at me” attitude used to make a player unpopular—and in some ways it still does—but the culture has shifted to the point that now it pays off. But while that attitude gets a lot of attention, it still isn’t very appealing. Nobody really believes us when we blow our own horns because we’re biased. And our focus on ourselves comes across as self-centered and prideful.

Scripture tells us not to praise ourselves but to let others speak about us. Whatever field we work in, our job is to do the best we can and let our attitude, work ethic, gifts, and skills speak volumes. When we do that, others will eventually notice, and that will mean much more to us and to them than if we had to make them notice with our mouths. A “look at me” attitude may get attention in the short run, but it doesn’t pay off long-term. God honors humility, not pride.

Uncommon Key > Remember that it’s His “glorious power” through which we operate. Humility is more impressive than accomplishments. It will earn respect without words.