Don’t let the wise brag of their wisdom. Don’t let heroes brag of their exploits. Don’t let the rich brag of their riches. Jeremiah 9:23 (MSG)
Dave and I were in the Las Vegas airport, standing in line to board our flight, when a fellow passenger noticed Dave’s name on his carry-on luggage label. Not quietly, he exclaimed, “You aren’t the Dave LaRoche who pitched for the Indians, are you?” This fan did not need a bull horn. My husband made the mistake of nodding.
The man could not contain his excitement, excitement he decided to share with his friend who was standing a good 10-feet away. “Jim, you aren’t going to believe this,” he yelled. “This is Dave LaRoche!!! Come on over and meet him.” I turned my back and struck up a conversation with the young couple in front of me who by now had pivoted to see what the commotion was all about. “So, how about those Chiefs!” I said. They, like many in line, were far too young to have heard of Dave. This was more of an annoyance than a reason to celebrate.
Dave, clearly embarrassed, answered quietly the questions of the man with the 60-foot voice. “Who was the best pitcher you ever saw?” “When did you retire?” “Who was the best hitter you faced?” “How hard did you throw?” The security line could not move fast enough.
One of my husband’s greatest strengths is his humility, and it was that quality he instilled in all of our children. No home run was ever hit when our sons or daughters raised their fists as they ran around the bases. None of them pumped their arms in order to get the fans to clap louder for them. The most acknowledgement I ever saw from them was a tip of their ball cap following a standing ovation for something they did on the field. As Dave always said, “Act like you’ve done this before.”
Rick Warren defined this principle: “Humility isn’t thinking less of yourself. It’s thinking of yourself less.” Let’s face it. Self-exaltation impresses no one, yet it seems that social media has given us a platform to boast about our strengths or accomplishments. Recently, a friend shared a series of pictures a mutual acquaintance posted on Facebook, each an elegant dinner she had prepared for her and her husband. Every time the couple go to a classy restaurant, a picture of the meal is shared. But what does that do for those who will never be able to afford such a fine-dining experience?
Saint Augustine had great advice: “Do you wish to rise? Begin by descending. You plan a tower that will pierce the clouds? Lay first the foundation of humility.”
On a flight years ago when Dave was coaching professional baseball, I was seated next to a man who talked about himself, basically from the time we took our seats to the time we deplaned. He was a stuntman in Hollywood who was a daredevil like no other…at least, according to him. Dave was seated next to me and heard every word of the man’s braggadocious exploits. As we walked off the jetway, the man asked Dave what he did for a living. Dave said that he was a coach, and the bragger commented, “Oh, at a high school?” Dave’s answer, “No, in major league baseball,” left the man stunned. “Why didn’t you say so?”
My answer, “Because he never talks about himself” hopefully left the man with something to think about. Of course, my husband thought it was unnecessary for me to say that.
I should have predicted that.