I was pulling for the Cleveland Cavaliers to win last year’s NBA Finals. When they got a rematch this year against the defending Golden State Warriors, I again hoped they’d prevail.

There was something about the narrative of LeBron James returning to his hometown, more experienced and mature, ready to lead, driven to do right by his city and its people, that really captivated me. Though many have questioned his authenticity in the past, I considered LeBron’s return – and, specifically, the eloquence of his reasoning behind the move – one of the best sports stories of 2014.

What a series. The Cavs, miraculously, made an unprecedented comeback after being down three games to one to beat the record-setting Warriors, one of the greatest teams to ever step on the hardwood. In the last few minutes of game seven, with the teams tied, LeBron played with an intensity that made me believe he simply wanted the championship more than the Warriors. And, no doubt, his leadership and skill played an enormous role in Cleveland’s first NBA title.

“I feel my calling here goes above basketball,” James said when he announced his return almost two years ago. “I want kids in Northeast Ohio, like the hundreds of Akron third-graders I sponsor through my foundation, to realize that there’s no better place to grow up.”

James’ maturity and perspective was worthy of admiration. One of the greatest players in the game, having previously reached the pinnacle of his sport twice with the Miami Heat, realized his true calling was to make his beloved home a better place through his natural gift of basketball talent.

It’s funny how a win shifts things a bit.

Like many, I found James’ post-game interviews on Sunday night disappointing. A friend on Facebook accurately captured the sentiment: “Me, I, I, Me, Myself, I, My, Me.”

LeBron’s actual interview is embedded here – make of it what you will. But, indeed, the “we” and “all for Cleveland” mentality had mostly evaporated when it was filmed.

I don’t write this to be overly critical of James. I still respect him for his mastery of the game, his motivation in representing Cleveland, and his leadership abilities (read this great post by Cavaliers teammate Richard Jefferson, who writes, “the way [LeBron] says ‘follow me and I’ll take you there’ with actions, more than words, is like no one else I’ve ever played with. He’s the kind of leader who makes you want to carry the weight too”).

I do, however, want to call out the inconsistency in James’ demeanor before and after the championship. It’s easy for all of us – spiritually, academically, athletically, socially, emotionally – to ride the waves of highs and lows we all face and adjust our demeanors and outlooks accordingly. This, I think, is simply natural. It is a trap, though, for those waves to force our character into inconsistent patterns that also change with the tides.

Instead, those most important aspects of ourselves, those which define us most deeply such as family, morals, and God, lend a kind of spiritual consistency that should endure regardless of the outcomes of even the most volatile challenges on the basketball court or in our lives.

I’m naturally reminded of several verses in Matthew: 6, lines that seem to suggest an appropriate baseline for living which doesn’t shift radically based on our pleasures or pain, our possessions and “wins,” or lack thereof. We are called to treat ourselves and others with a consistent reverence, knowing that our true rewards are not in trophies or wins, but in the character of our hearts, values, and relationships with ourselves, others, and God.

Luckily, I believe there are many people and athletes in the world who understand this. Steph Curry, star of the Golden State Warriors, is one of them. In fact, LeBron James was one last year, too, when he conceded the 2015 Finals to the Warriors with a respectable handshake with Curry. Here’s to, hopefully, a sports and general social culture which continually grows in appreciation for all of those “in between” moments that build and sustain the character of athletes and individuals as whole people, consistent in their personal missions and true, always, to their core values.