“What am I anymore if I’m not this?”
That is the question from UFC superstar Ronda Rousey that she admitted this week to talk-show host Ellen DeGeneres asking herself in the hospital after her recent (and only) loss to fellow fighter Holly Holm, explaining that for a moment she contemplated suicide after everything she felt she had worked her whole life for had been taken away in just a few minutes.
“What am I anymore if I’m not this? . . . I’m nothing.”
Some may be tempted to tell Ronda to wipe her tears and get some perspective. After all, she is one of the most well-known and recognizable athletes in all the world today, and arguably the most popular UFC fighter ever. So you lost a fight, some might say. Get over it.
Others might hurt for Ronda but be screaming at their TVs for her to simply get back in the gym, train harder, and win back her title. Become the champion again, they tell her. Take back what was once yours!
But me, I don’t stand in either of those corners. I simply hurt for her and hate that she has become yet another victim of the “father of lies” (John 8:44) who was successful in convincing her that her identity rested in being an undefeated champion. And no doubt he’s prowling around her still, “like a roaring lion” (1 Peter 5:8) ready to devour her once again after she falls for another lie that her new identity rests in revenge.
“What am I anymore if I’m not this?”
Ronda, your undefeated champion status was taken away. And guess what? If you win back the title, it can be taken away from you just as quickly. Just like the movie roles you get offered every week will be taken away once Hollywood finds their “next big thing.” But that’s okay, because neither of those define who you are.
Tiger Woods was well on his way to breaking all the PGA records, and with some texts and a car crash it was all taken away.
Reggie Bush won a Heisman trophy after one of the most exciting offensive years ever by a college football player. You can’t take that away, right? Wrong. His trophy has been vacated.
Too many to count athletes, in their prime, were well on their way to Hall of Fame careers. But one hit or bad landing took it all away in an instant.
Before he could say “I’m going to Disney World,” Super Bowl champion Peyton Manning went from being one of the most well respected and squeaky clean football players of all time to having his name attached to a story involving his college days that could end up hurting his sponsorships or his chances at taking a TV job post-retirement.
Everything can be taken away in an instant, Ronda. Even the children you spoke of wanting to have with your boyfriend. But we are not defined as “champion” or “mother” or “teacher” or “doctor.” That is merely the lie the devil has been so successful at convincing people of. Instead, we are defined in relationship to Someone else.
Created uniquely by God, in his image, so that we may have fellowship with him in eternity.
That is who we are, and it cannot be ever taken away.
I truly hurt for Ronda and others who may not have had people in their lives while growing up speaking that truth in to them. Shame on parents, coaches, and other adult mentors who, whether advertently or inadvertently, convince a child that their success, titles, and money will define who they are and that nothing less than the “best” is acceptable. We cannot take lightly our responsibility to teach our children who they truly are, as well as Whose they are.
“What am I anymore if I’m not this?”
Who you are has never changed, Ronda. You were created uniquely by God, in his image, so that you could have fellowship with him in eternity.
You are not now and never have been “nothing.”
Kevin Harvey is the author of two books, including the 2015 HarperCollins release All You Want to Know about the Bible in Pop Culture, available at Barnes and Noble, Wal-Mart, Sam’s Club, and Amazon. You can also find him keeping up with the latest goings-on in pop culture on Twitter: @PopCultureKevin
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