What is True Greatness?

During this age of 24/7 news media, where every quote or deed can be analyzed to unprecedented levels (imagine if former President Bill Clinton was in the Oval Office now...hoo boy) we were treated to the power of the message boards when Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James was at the press conference after Game 5's loss to the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals. A reporter approached James with the inquiry of why he had not yet lost confidence in his team to win and force a Game 7. James responded with, "I'm confident because I'm the best player in the world."

It sent media outlets such as ESPN and sports talk radio into a near frenzy. The comments section of any sports website went as follows, "How dare this man come out with such braggadocio after such a loss?" "Everyone already knows how good he is, does he need to remind us every time," and my personal favorite, "Michael Jordan never said that during his playing days!"

Ah, how soon we forget Jordan's now infamous Hall of Fame speech, which was the ultimate "I told you so" moment to everyone who had the misfortune of attending. What LeBron said was something that isn't exactly breaking news, but the reaction and vitriol directed at him was one of disdain and continued a long-running feud between LeBron and the fans who have yet to forgive him for "The Decision."

If we take a step back, we would see that throughout the history of sports, there has always been a myriad of athletes who have laid claim to being the G.O.A.T (Greatest of all time) and usually have what it takes to back up such a statement. The person best associated with that term (if you ask your local barbershop) would be Muhammad Ali, a fighter whose skill inside the ring was only bested by his bravado out of it. Whether it was him saying "I'm King of the World!" to "It ain't bragging if you back it up," Ali had a charisma that endeared him to the public at large, even after his legal battles against the United States for refusing to go to war, and after embracing of the Islamic faith in a time when racial tensions were at an all time high.

Ali was a man of many quotes, but there was one particular quote that reminded me of what James said and what defines true greatness...

He was a man of conviction, a conviction that he was willing to go to prison for. If Ali had any shortcomings, he wasn't going to broadcast them. However, what Mr. Ali did not realize that even the true greats in history had a character trait that made them who they are: humility. Humility that recognizes that in our own selves, we cannot achieve greatness. Humility that says, "Left to my own devices, I am limited. I need someone greater than me who has no limits."

Philippians 4:13 says, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." It recognizes our need for the one who created the heavens and the Earth. One who is able to go on their knees in humility can stand before kings!