The Reward of Being Humble

American-born Serbian Stevan Micic is no stranger to success. He was a three-time NCAA Division 1 All-American wrestler at the University of Michigan. Representing Serbia, he won the gold medal at the 2023 World Wrestling Championship.

Stevan also has faced difficult losses. A few weeks before the Tokyo 2020 Olympic games, he began feeling sick. Upon arriving in Tokyo, his symptoms didn’t seem to impact him until he needed to make a significant weight cut. He made the weight but continued to feel horrible and struggled to get rehydrated. As the number one seed, he wrestled in the first match and suffered a concussion. He lost the match and ended up in the hospital, his Olympic dreams shattered.

After that difficult time, he went home and trained with his father. As his lifelong coach and inspiration, his dad taught him that his character matters. Stevan says, “Things I learned from my dad that surpasses sport is being a person that is respectable." Stevan learned the importance of being humble no matter the outcome.

One of the ways Stevan remains humble is to recognize where his gifts and talents came from. He says “Why do I want to wrestle? Obviously, I have a love and passion for the sport. But I feel God’s given me this role and opportunity to do this in my life and I thank Him every single day for this opportunity."

That thankfulness has helped him with perspective. He understands that wrestling is just a sport. “It doesn’t define you as a person just because you’re a great wrestler,” he says. “It’s not about if you win or if you lose but how you win and how you lose.”

Questions: How would you describe humility? Do you see it as a good or bad thing? Do you run your own life or submit your life to God? How does this affect you and those around you?

Prayer: God, You are the Sovereign Lord. You made me who I am and have blessed me with much. Forgive me for my pride. Forgive me for putting myself above others and thinking of myself more highly than I should. Help me to find joy in seeking Your will above my own. Amen.