Bill Simmons of ESPN has called last night a LeBacle. I agree, on multiple fronts. In particular, I want to particularly address LeBron’s failure to consider the city of Cleveland and its franchise and the city’s failure to respond better than he. Then lastly, I want to make mention of how we have responded.

First of all, after understanding the entire situation more in depth, it is obvious that LeBron really did not serve the city of Cleveland well, or its franchise. For by waiting to give his decision and not informing them of his intent to leave, he more or less left them high and dry. For Cleveland had to wait for LeBron. They couldn’t sign someone else like New York or Chicago. But LeBron waited until many others were signed. That has put Cleveland in a very difficult spot, at least for now.

Sure, you can say it is just business, but anyone in their right mind knows that that is not good business. Good business is certainly to seek well by all people, and especially by people who have invested a lot into you and in many respects, relying upon you (even if they may be doing so too much). So in that respect, I think LeBron really messed up. Considering Cleveland’s response, he may be realizing that now.

Second, LeBron really hurt himself by doing his huge ‘Decision’ show in order to announce any team besides Cleveland. That’s obvious right? I mean, think about it. Sure, the other cities were disappointed, but none of them were devastated. And right or wrong, Cleveland was. I’m not sure who is advising him, but he may want to get some new advisors, because they certainly haven’t been serving him well. Deciding to go away is one thing, but the manner in which he did so is another. It’s as if he has made things much harder on himself and everyone else.

Third, the response of Dan Gilbert (the CAVS majority owner) and much of the city of Cleveland is little to no better than LeBron’s actions. Unknowingly, they have displayed the same selfishness that they are accusing him of.

Now I realize that not too many Cleveland folks will want to own up to that, but that is reality. People were no doubt hoping in LeBron too much. He had become a god to many. So when he didn’t give the people of Cleveland and the CAVS what they so desperately wanted, they turned on him in a heartbeat and started hating him instead.

As I said, I can understand some difficulty in accepting his decision, because LeBron didn’t do things well. But Gilbert and the much of the city’s response goes well beyond difficulty accepting something. Just because someone does you wrong doesn’t give you the right to do them wrong. Every parent knows that. If one of your kids hits another and the other responds in kind, you have to know that the second is not justified in his response. And so it is here. Much has been revealed about the hearts of people in Cleveland, and it hasn’t been pretty.

In particular, have you seen the owner, Dan Gilbert’s response? He wrote a letter to the Cleveland fan base spewing all sorts of venom at LeBron. I honestly read it and wondered if he wrote it while kicking and screaming on the floor, because it really did sound like an adult temper tantrum. I had to ask: No matter where LeBron failed, does it really warrant this? Not only that, but do you honestly think a great player is going to want and come play for you? Not likely.

In the end, the hearts of many in Cleveland have been exposed. They didn’t get what they wanted, so they are throwing their own temper tantrums. They were never really thinking about LeBron, but about what LeBron could give them, how he could serve them. They are mad at him for being selfish, but in their anger, they are guilty of the same thing.

Finally, if we are at all into this story, we should use this opportunity to take a look at our own hearts. Everyone should do this. For it is so easy to sit and write critically about everyone involved (which I tend to do), while failing to note that if we were in LeBron’s or Dan Gilbert’s shoes, we could easily make the same mistakes (something I am too slow to do). If we find ourselves looking down on them for the decisions they made (as almost everyone in the media is doing), we now have the opportunity to face up to our own pride and to humble ourselves in recognition that if we were placed in the same spot, we may do the same things…or much worse.

In particular, I think about LeBron. Not to justify or defend him or anything (though that probably won’t hurt), but most people seem to look at him as if life is easy for him and his decisions plain. But think about it, really think about it. He is 25 years old. He grew up without a father. He has been called the King, and the Chosen One since 16 years of age and is looked to by countless people as something of a savior. He has more money than he knows what to do with and more power and influence than any 25 year old should have. And somehow we sit in our respective places and look down on his decisions, somehow convincing ourselves that if we were in his shoes, we would do so much better. That is arrogant, really arrogant. It shows how little we really know about ourselves.

So yes, did he mess up? I think so. Are CAVS fans messing up? I think so. But given the same set of circumstance, might we all do the same or much worse? I think so.

But that is exactly why I am thankful that LeBron isn’t really the King or the Chosen One. There is only One and His name is Jesus Christ. This story is yet another example of how and why we all are desperately in need of Him.