The GOAT reflects the LAMB

Many things are declared the GOAT — Greatest of All Time in our culture. In music, is it the Beatles, Michael Jackson, or the Stones? Apologies to the “Swifties” but she simply hasn’t been at the top for decades. If she’s filling stadiums in her 50s, perhaps she makes the cut.

My favorite sport, soccer has 1 clear GOAT — Lionel Messi.

Ask a kid in the slums of India who Tom Brady is, and you’ll get a blank stare. Ask that same kid who Messi is and his face will probably light up. Lionel Messi transcends cultures, geographic boundaries, and team loyalties. He is the face of a global sport backed by 500 million Instagram followers.

I didn’t grow up playing soccer, which is pretty common for a middle-aged American. I grew up on basketball, nearly oblivious that an entirely different sport would eventually become my sport of choice.

Thanks to the explosion of cable TV and the internet, the world’s largest soccer clubs and players could be seen anywhere and anytime. By the late 2000s 2 players consistently battle for rights to be called the GOAT — Messi and Ronaldo. For many years, neither was a clear GOAT. Ronaldo always looked the part — chiseled, flashy and loud. Messi is short and quiet and despite winning all individual awards possible, Messi is “famously anxious” before games. Messi finally solidified his GOAT status by winning soccer’s top trophy — the coveted World Cup in 2022.

After winning the World Cup, rumors circulated that Messi would play for Miami in Major League Soccer (MLS) in the United States. As much as I love MLS, it remains several steps behind its European counterparts — often viewed as a “retirement league”. The long-awaited soccer messiah arrived in Miami on July 21st. During Messi’s first game, he scored an utterly insane game-winning goal. Since then it’s been Messi mania for American soccer fans.

While watching Messi this summer, there are a many ways the GOAT reminds me of Jesus the Lamb.

Messi speaks up for the “insignificant”.

Ian Fray of Miami is not a household name, even for hardcore soccer fans. He is a 20-year-old defender for Miami and was simply excited to play with the GOAT. He had also overcome 2 prior ACL tears heading into this season. As a 20-year-old kid, Fray likely wanted to play alongside the GOAT, but in the 26th minute of Messi’s debut, he suffered a 3rd ACL tear.

The first thing Messi mentions in the post-game interview is not HIS accomplishment, but that he dedicates the win to his “insignificant” teammate. Messi, who’s worth $600M, and has 500 million Instagram followers is highlighting a 20-year-old kid nobody knows while millions watch on TV. It’s most remarkable he does this just minutes after scoring an unbelievable game-winning goal. He could have said anything else, yet he highlights his disappointed and “insignificant” teammate, burning Ian Fray’s significance into history.

Don’t we all feel insignificant, at least occasionally? I certainly have, whether that’s as an employee, husband, or father. Fortunately, the Gospels record an episode where Jesus emphasized an “insignificant” sacrifice — it’s an equally helpful and convicting reminder the size of the sacrifice does not matter, rather it’s the motive. The story begins in Mark chapter 12,

41 Jesus sat down where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. 42 But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents. 43 Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. 44 They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything — all she had to live on.”

Jesus sat at the collection box and saw everyone who gave, but singles out just one person in this story — the “insignificant” widow because her heart was in the right place. He huddles up the disciples to stress the importance of what happened, making the insignificant suddenly significant.
Jesus doesn’t create a memorial to the rich who give vast amounts of money. Instead, Jesus points out the sacrifice, even though the amount is small. That small sacrifice has lived on now for thousands of years, read by billions of people throughout history.

Our insignificant efforts often feel unimportant, don’t they? Perhaps we’ll never see the significance of our efforts in our lives — it’s unlikely our finest works done with the purest motives will be noted by most, or broadcast by a social media influencer. Yet, I do believe this — our smallest sacrifices, whether financial, relational, or material, done with the right motives, are noticed by God and will be spotlighted on the other side of eternity.

Messi doesn’t look the part of the GOAT and he chose a loser.

If you were starting a team and knew nothing about soccer, it is unlikely you’d choose Messi. Messi is an unimposing 5 foot 7 and 165 pounds and was told he was too small for soccer. He’s a quiet, introverted family man. One of his first adventures in Miami was going to the grocery store to buy his family groceries.

The Jewish people in Jesus’ time craved someone to push the Roman army out of their homeland. It seems this would require a commanding, larger-than-life leader, but instead, they got Jesus. Jesus comes onto the scene birthed by a teenage girl, and grew up in Nazareth with its booming population of 500 people. There’s no emphasis on His abnormal physical attributes like there is with Goliath or Samson.

You would not choose Jesus to drive away an occupying army based on his physical attributes, just as Messi would not be your top choice to start a soccer team based on looks alone. Who would you look for to drive away an army occupying your hometown? Would you want a larger-than-life hero with every weapon at their side?

The occupied Jews of this time got Jesus riding on a donkey, not exactly the image of someone ready to drive away an army. The story of Jesus’ triumphal entry is recorded in Matthew 21,

5 “Tell the people of Jerusalem, ‘Look, your King is coming to you.
He is humble, riding on a donkey, He’s riding on a donkey’s colt.’
6 The two disciples did as Jesus commanded. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt to him and threw their garments over the colt, and he sat on it. 8 Most of the crowd spread their garments on the road ahead of him, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road.”

The donkey has a special meaning. This is one explanation of why Jesus chose a donkey to mark his triumphal entry into Jerusalem, “Most people have it in their mind that the meekness and the lowliness was the donkey. That’s not so. The donkey was a royal steed in the Old Testament. The king rode on a donkey, that’s important. Not a horse, because then He’d have to be a conqueror. When it says Jesus comes meek and lowly, the idea is He comes with no military apparatus. He doesn’t bring an army, He comes meek and lowly riding upon a donkey.”

Similarly, Messi fails to look the part of a conquering hero, and he “lowered” himself to play for Miami. Many suggest that Messi should not lower himself to play in the U.S. and that he should remain in Europe. Messi not only chose the U.S. but he chose the very worst team in the league. Messi’s choosing the last-place club points me back to Jesus’ redemption story in our lives.

Jesus didn’t come for those who have their act together, attend church each week, or for those in “first place”. Jesus humbled and reduced His standing with God to save those who understand they are broken. Philippians 2.8, describes it this way, “Jesus humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.”

I also understand Jesus choosing “losers” from personal experience. When I was around 10 and 12 years old, my neighborhood friend set ablaze my 15-year addiction to pornography. My experience becoming a Christian in my mid-20s was not only a way out of addiction, rather, I think it was more compelled by the joy, wholeness, and acceptance Jesus offers. I didn’t need to break my addiction first for Jesus to change the desires of my heart and mind. He chose me when I was in last place, not once I earned His praise through good works — because even those are tainted.

Even though He’s empowered me to not once look at pornography for 20 years, I struggle with different, arguably deeper sins. Pride, lust, greed, judgment, anger — just to name a few. Jesus’ humble obedience offers me a fresh reboot each day.

Lamentations 3:22–23 says, “The Lord’s love never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning”.

Messi is often still during the game.

Until this summer, I have only watched Messi play in a few games. As I eagerly watched Messi’s first game at Miami, I noticed prolonged stretches of the game where he was very still and honestly, did very little. Minutes of not sprinting furiously, but observing — fully focused and composed. Messi walks 85% of the time during a match, meaning he’s only “active” a whopping 15% of the time.

“For Messi, walking is seeing and thinking. He lulls defenders into a state of lethargy that leaves them vulnerable to Messi magic — those flashes of sorcery that erupt and wreak havoc with bewildering speed.”

God feels painfully still in my life at least 85% of the time, but then that 15% is when His brilliance shines brightest. Jesus’ closest friends also felt he was inactive. Mark 4 captures the interaction of Jesus’ closest friends yelling at him to wake up and get them out of a storm,

35 On that day, when evening had come, He said to them, “Let’s go across to the other side.” 36 And leaving the crowd, they took Jesus in the boat. 37 And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat so that the boat was filling up. 38 But He was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” 39 And He awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 40 He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you no faith?”

We recently saw Messi’s stillness and magic unfold against our hometown club FC Cincinnati. Cincinnati shut down Messi and Miami and were up by 2 goals, ready to advance to the U.S. Open championship. Messi had done nothing for 70 minutes. Messi wakes up from his slumber by sending a perfectly placed pass for his teammate to score a goal. Messi awakens again at the last minute, tying up the game with another perfectly placed pass. That game feels eerily similar to my journey with God — it often requires Jeff to reach the end of Jeff before He “wakes up”.

Messi loves his kids.

After scoring his game-winning masterclass goal in his Miami debut, Messi sprints as quickly as possible to celebrate with his kids. His eyes are exclusively set on finding and embracing his family to celebrate his triumph.

Do we consider that Jesus celebrates us? Jesus constantly chases down his kids, always looking for them in much the same way. My favorite example of this is found in the familiar story of The Prodigal Son. This story really should be labeled The Prodigal Sons (plural) and is found in Luke 15. Here’s the story,

11 Jesus said, “There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger son said to his father, ‘Give me now the part of your property that I am supposed to receive someday.’ So the father divided his wealth between his two sons.
13 “A few days later the younger son gathered up all that he had and left. He traveled far away to another country, and wasted his money living like a fool. 14 After he spent everything he had, there was a terrible famine throughout the country. He was hungry and needed money. 15 So he went and got a job with one of the people who lived there. The man sent him into the fields to feed pigs. 16 He was so hungry that he wanted to eat the food the pigs were eating. But no one gave him anything.
17 “The son realized that he had been very foolish. He thought, ‘All my father’s hired workers have plenty of food. But here I am, almost dead because I have nothing to eat. 18 I will leave and go to my father. I will say to him: Father, I have sinned against God and have done wrong to you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son. But let me be like one of your hired workers.’ 20 So he left and went to his father. While the son was still a long way off, his father saw him coming and felt sorry for him. So he ran to him and hugged and kissed him. 21 The son said, ‘Father, I have sinned against God and have done wrong to you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Hurry! Bring the best clothes and put them on him. Also, put a ring on his finger and good sandals on his feet. 23 And bring our best calf and kill it so that we can celebrate with plenty to eat. 24 My son was dead, but now he is alive again! He was lost, but now he is found!’ So they began to have a party.
25 “The older son had been out in the field. When he came near the house, he heard the sound of music and dancing. 26 So he called to one of the servant boys and asked, ‘What does all this mean?’ 27 The boy said, ‘Your brother has come back, and your father killed the best calf to eat. He is happy because he has his son back safe and sound.’
28 “The older son was angry and would not go into the party. So his father went out and begged him to come in. 29 He said to his father, ‘Look, for all these years I have worked like a slave for you. I have always done what you told me to do, and you never gave me a party with my friends. 30 But then this son of yours comes home after wasting your money on prostitutes, and you kill the best calf for him!’ 31 “His father said to him, ‘Oh, my son, you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32 But this was a day to be happy and celebrate. Your brother was dead, but now he is alive. He was lost, but now he is found.’”

It’s understandable to focus on the younger brother. He’s insulted his family, and the small community of neighbors likely know about his wild living, but I’m in a time of life where I relate more to the older brother.

Here’s a recent glimpse into my older brotherness. At work, I was asked to accelerate a complex and new type of project. It resulted in many early mornings and weekends working in my “digital field”, much like the older brother. Once I started to taste the end of this project, my youngest son got into a car wreck to go on his very first date.

Days later his first date decides she does not want to continue dating, adding insult to injury. We’re a large family, and tools like clothes dryers and dishwashers are essential. Days later our dryer is clogged up and not working. Then our dishwasher quit working.

We’re imperfectly working through depression in our home. It’s been a stretch. It’s straining every fiber of our marriage, parenting, and faith.

I easily get in the mindset of, “OK God, so I give money to church, I pray a bunch, I don’t beat my wife or kids, I work hard…what the hell? I’m grinding away to get this unending project completed and it’s still hanging over my head. Why can’t I just get this finished?

My kid and I barely speak to each other and I want better. After weeks of putting up with the precious few words we do exchange, I hit my limit.

I blow up, and drop a bunch of f-bombs at them — immediately before leaving for church of all places. Where exactly are you?

My wife and I are not on the same page, so now we’re getting at each other.
I’ve worked consistently hard for decades, and I’ve prayed for my kids, marriage, and community. I’ve done my best. What did I do to deserve this?”

At the crescendo of my older brotherness, I head to bed after a frustrating day to read “The Hiding Place” by Holocaust survivor Corrie Ten Boom. On this particular day, I read , “Perhaps only when human effort has done its best and failed, will God’s power alone be free to work”.

How is this not an invitation from God directly to my older brother mindset?

There is definitely space and a requirement for working hard, praying, giving, and all the things we should do. But are we giving the same weight and space for God to work in our hearts and minds? He’s chasing you and me, and He’s ready to celebrate with us as His kids — no matter if you’re the younger or older brother.

An important difference

Days before Messi arrives in Miami, you could easily get tickets to a game for $15. Once Messi arrived, average ticket prices skyrocketed to nearly $1,000. Celebrities pay $7K just to catch a glimpse of the Messi magic.

I cannot wait to see more Messi magic, not only because he’s the GOAT, but because it reminds me of the GOAT of GOATS.

Even though He didn’t look the part, even though He feels more “still” than “active”, He’s working on a different time scale. He cares about the insignificant, He cares about the younger brother and older brother equally. God is always accessible to those who believe in Christ Jesus.

No $1,000 ticket required.

I didn’t make it all up and ChatGPT didn’t write it:
https://www.jeanejones.net/2020/03/why-jews-thought-the-messiah-would-be-different/
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zvff8xs/revision/2#:~:text=Some%20Jews%20were%20looking%20for,and%20power%20and%20demand%20obedience.
https://www.newyorker.com/sports/world-cup-2022/the-genius-of-lionel-messi-just-walking-around
https://www.rocksolidfaith.ca/the-widows-mite/
https://www.christianity.com/wiki/jesus-christ/why-did-jesus-ride-a-donkey-into-jerusalem.html#google_vignette
https://www.forbes.com/sites/brianbushard/2023/06/07/the-messi-effect-inter-miami-ticket-prices-jump-1000-after-messi-reportedly-joins-mls/?sh=6ca4371c261d

https://acefootball.com/football-news/messi-reveals-what-he-thinks-about-being-called-the-goat/