Weekly Words: Cultivating a Biblical Worldview
Mr. David McClain, Head of School at FCS, shares regular insights relating to Christian education, biblical worldview, building Christian character, and current events. Article archives are coming soon.
Nov. 18, 2023
I Am Him – or His?
Since 2019, athletes have been using the phrase “I am him” or some variation of it. According to sportingnews.com, “I’m Him” is the en vogue motto for those teeming with swagger and bravado.
Now there is even a discussion among sports reporters asking “Who was ‘him’ this week?”
Years ago, Kathryn and I were faced with a difficult question. Our athletic son, Jeremiah, wanted to play tackle football. He had played for the Raleigh Rec Patriots . . . ugh . . . during 5th grade. He loved it, was good at it, and desperately wanted to continue playing.
We discussed it, and I truly agonized over it as a football-loving dad who privately wanted him to play even more than he did. Every time they showed a player’s proud dad in the stands, I was picturing myself there one day with Jeremiah playing on the field.
Of course, the concussion issue is big for many, but our decision came down to the “I am him” culture that is so prevalent in sports. While you will even find it among our athletes at times, we wanted him to play and be coached by godly men who would teach him to be more than an athlete; to strive for character over talent. We decided against continuing.
Last night, my middle school girls’ basketball team beat Resurrection Lutheran. Their school administrator, who was their coach and also taught/coached here at Friendship in the 90s (Hester, I think was her name), came to me after the game and shared that one of her players was upset and crying over a personal, life issue and several of my players hugged and comforted her. She was impressed.
That is what we want Friendship Athletics to be. Not a bunch of kids pounding their chests, pulling on their jerseys, or shooting imaginary arrows; rather we will strive to develop athletes who do their best, encourage others, play hard, and when they win, remember that means someone else lost and to have a sense of compassion.
One of our issues is that we have a world full of “leaders,” politicians, athletes, and parents even who desire to say “I am him” because they dominate someone else. It is refreshing to see players like CJ Stroud whose names are lifted up by this world instead lift up the name of Christ above their own.
I would conjecture that among those who say “I am him,” you will find very little true thankfulness or contentment.
I Peter 5:6 and James 4:10 are two foundational verses that remind us to humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God in His presence and allow Him to exalt us in His due time.
In monarchies, when you entered the presence of a king or queen or they entered your presence, you were expected to kneel and/or bow. Kneeling or bowing puts us in a vulnerable/exposed position. Only when the monarch reached out their hand or placed their hand on the head/shoulder were you allowed to meet their eyes or stand in their presence.
God expects us to humbly bow ourselves to His will, recognize His authority, and wait on His timing.