What I’m For, Not What I’m Against: A lesson from Jeremy Lin

I read this article several days ago on Newsday. It tells the story of how Jeremy Lin of the New York Knicks reached out to a former ESPN employee that was fired for making a racial headline during all of the ‘Linsanity’ stuff several weeks ago.

I love what the article says about Lin in a quote from the former ESPN employee…

The fact that he reached out to me,” Federico said. “The fact that he took the time to meet with me in his insanely busy schedule . . . He’s just a wonderful, humble person. He didn’t have to do that, especially after everything had kind of died down for the most part.

It’s true. Lin didn’t have to reach out to him. Afterall, he was the one that made the headline that got him fired.

But Jeremy Lin DID reach out to him… even after all of the dust had settled.

The thing that I really like about this?

Lin proved what he was about, rather than what he was against.

Lin said in an interview not long after the ESPN employee was fired that he forgave him and thought nothing of it.

Lin proved that in the meeting.

I want to be known for someone who dissplays grace, not someone who’s against revenge.
I want to be known as someone who’s kind, not someone who hates violence.
I want to be someone known for loving others, not for hating people that do harm to others.

That’s why I love stories like this.

What are your thoughts? 

[For more about Jeremy Lin, read my post here.]