On last weeks Focus on the Family one of the questions asked of Tony Dungy, recently retired from coaching the Indianapolis Colts, was:
"Why did you stick around in football for 30 years?"
Tony's answer was: "I stuck around to prove that a Christ led man could be successful in an industry that calls for you to be rough, tough, and hard-nosed."
Tony was known to be one of the more mild mannered coaches; one you never saw yelling and screaming at his players on the sidelines. And yet, very successful:
1. Only coach to take his team to the playoffs 10 straight years.
2.First black coach to win the Super Bowl (3 years ago against the Chicago Bears)
3. Only one of a handful that one a Super Bowl as both player and coach.
One of the more interesting things I found in his interview was that as a Christian he modeled that behavior to his team. Every season the very first practice he made sure his players knew that first and foremost he was a Christian. He didn't care what you're beliefs were, he wasn't there to persuade you, just that this team was going to be a team of character, and as a team we are representing the community.
Tony still lives in Indianapolis and works with the youth in the community where the graduation rate stands at only 19 percent.
You don't need to have a high profile job to make an impact in your community, or in your church. You could be a plumber, a janitor, a lawyer, or a doctor. God can and does use every heart who is willing and able. He has given each of us various talents and spiritual gifts to use to bring forth the Good News.
God does not call the qualified, but qualifies the called.
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