UNPACK This...Being PresentSample

Past Ego, Future Pride, and Humble Present When Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Milwaukee Bucks to a 3-2 series lead in the 2021 NBA Finals, he was asked about how ego plays a part in the NBA. He responded by saying, “When you focus on the past, that’s your ego…I did this, we were able to beat this team 4-0, I did this in the past, I won that in the past. When I focus on the future, it’s my pride…’Yeah, next game, Game 5, I do this and this and this. I’m going to dominate.’ That’s your pride talking. I try to focus on the moment, in the present. That’s humility. That’s being humble. That’s not setting any expectations. That’s going out there, enjoying the game, competing at a high level…That is a skill that I’ve tried to master.” Giannis is right when he talks about being too focused on the future. That mindset can become very prideful when we make declarations about what we think we’re going to do. Proverbs 27:1 reminds us, “Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring.” James elaborates on this in chapter 4, verses 13-16: “Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit’ — yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.’ As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.” There’s something special yet challenging about being able to concentrate on right now and what God has in store for us today without our ego from the past and our pride about the future getting in the way. So today, let’s choose to be present and humble. Let’s surrender to God, enjoy Him for who He is…and trust that He’s the One who holds our future. I’m Bryce Johnson, and you can UNPACK that! PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I humble myself before You, acknowledging Your goodness. Please help me to be focused on the present. Forgive me for being so arrogant and prideful about my past and my future. Thank you for Your grace. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen. For more sports and faith devotionals, visit unpackinit.com.