Over the last couple of weeks I’ve read about two men from very different worlds but with a common character trait that makes them very impressive.

The first is Michael Hussey, recently retired from the Australian cricket team. What’s been interesting about Mr Cricket, as he’s affectionately known, is just how widely loved and admired he is, and not particularly for his great exploits with the bat. Hussey plays like, “It’s not all about me. I can serve others.” His attitude is in marked contrast to some other giant sporting egos.

The other man lived around 3000 years ago, and was involved not in sport, but in a struggle that was a matter of life and death. Jonathan, the son of King Saul (see the first book of Samuel), is one of the most impressive characters in the Bible. Just as we’re introduced to Jonathan the Lord decides to remove the throne from Saul and his house because of his disobedience, and has anointed David to be the next king. The reactions of Saul and Jonathan to this news could not be more different. Saul sets out to kill David, hunting him for months with the army. But Jonathan befriends David and remains loyal to him even though he knows the prophecy through Samuel will come true. He says to David, “Don’t be afraid … My father Saul will not lay a hand on you. You will be king over Israel, and I will be second to you. Even my father Saul knows this.” (1 Samuel 23:17)

Jonathan not only accepts the sovereignty of God, but his goodness as well, and so can accept and trust his decisions.

It would be worth your while reading the first book of Samuel and studying the character of Jonathan. Whether he’s leading the way in battle, being loyal to his friend David, or trying to talk wisdom to his paranoid father, Jonathan has learned a vital lesson: “It’s not all about me. I can serve others.” Later in the Bible this character trait is tagged as humility,“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.” (Philippians 2:3).

Of course, Paul goes on to say, the great motivation for this humility is the greater Son of David, the one who stepped down from ultimate greatness to serve others. Michael Hussey played for his team the same way that Jonathan was loyal to David. It’s also the key to living as a Christian man; learning it’s not about me. And if we learn to live this way, it’s not just attractive–it will set us free.

Image: flickr_vichu90