When you think life revolves around you, then destruction is waiting at your doorstep.

In a recent YouTube video, NFL star Antonio Brown passionately reached out to share his self-absorbed life. The video captured how he views himself. “I get mad at it, but I love it — the game of football,” said Brown. “I want to play, play on the field. That the only excitement I can bring to my (expletive) household is going to the field. That the only thing that makes my mom and dad happy is going to the field — and only thing that makes people love me. … You still have a mission. … This is your testimony 84. ”

This is his testimony? Think about Brown’s words. His whole life, purpose and existence is defined by playing football. Did you catch it? The totality of his identity and worth is found in the game of football. This is incredibly sad. Brown is crying out for help, and he doesn’t even realize it. He is hopelessly lost.

But he has everything the world would ever want, right? Yet he is searching for true meaning, satisfaction and purpose in life. He emphatically states that without football there is no excitement, happiness, or love. This is Google’s “Most Searched Athlete of 2019,” whom NFL fans have made into a god. He is a phenomenal athlete, maybe one of the best. But AB is a shell of a man, empty and adrift. He has given us a glimpse of his tragic life perspective.

Travis Pulver, in his online sports column “NFL Legend Antonio Brown Continues to be his Own Worst Enemy,” shares how this perspective displays itself. This life has produced 15 controversies in the last 20 months, including sexual assault allegations. Pulver characterizes AB’s behavior as “tumultuous tirades, defiant rants, belligerent, pugnacious, extremely noncompliant, flagrantly disorderly, and participating in child-like tantrums.” In AB’s life fantasy, as a professional athlete god, there are no rules, standards or accountability. He believes he is a kingdom unto himself. When you think you are the center of the universe, you are on a collision course with reality.

AB’s behavior and worldview and McAfee’s prompting point us to the question of what the purpose of life is. Is it material possessions, fame, status, wealth, popularity, success, personal attention? No. These things only bring superficial and temporary gratification.

Where does meaning in our lives come from? It is truly ironic to realize, viewing AB’s life as a case in point, that if we seek to please ourselves, there is a massive void in our lives and a lack of contentment. Our calling in life is to selflessly serve, not to be served. We have been designed in such a way that selfishness is unsatisfying. We were all created as worshippers. The question is, what will we place at the center of our lives?

AB appeared in Drake’s “God’s Plan” video, which communicated the message that we can’t do life on our own. His life would be transformed if he worshiped and relied on someone other than himself who is truly worthy of his devotion, namely Jesus Christ. Bringing a Christ-centered satisfaction to football would be a game-changer for Brown.

This is the opposite of Antonio Brown’s life mantra.

Self-praise and things of this world will never be soul-satisfying. The book of Ecclesiastes testifies to this point, stating that if we try to find our meaning, satisfaction and purpose in what God has made rather than in the Lord Himself, we will never rest. This message is concisely expressed by Summer’s Best Two Weeks sports camp in its theme “I’m Third: God first; others second; I’m third.”

Our heartfelt mission will dictate and drive what we do, say and think. AB, what will your testimony be? Will it be self-promotion, selfishness and egotistic admiration, or will it be a newfound sense of overwhelming thankfulness for your God-given athletic prowess and a change of heart and priorities? Your impact, life, football career and legacy will depend on it.

James Thrasher is the senior fellow of Grove City College’s career services office and coordinator of the Institute for Faith & Freedom’s working group on calling. He is also the chaplain for the Grove City College football team.

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