Tony Dungy is the New Job

That's Job as in the Bible's Job, not job.

ESPN published a phenomenal article about Tony Dungy, the former Indianapolis Colts head coach.

Tony Dungy is a lifelong Christian and a shining role model for living the Christian life.  He has a heart for prison ministry and grace.  The article goes on and on about how many athletes and people he's touched during his tenure in football.  It's amazing what Tony has done.

Most people know the Michael Vick story and how nobody wanted to touch him with a ten foot pole.  But at the urging of Tony's wife he applied the parables, stories and proverbs in the Bible to give Vick the second chance to walk a different path.

What befuddles most people about Tony is the stereotypes he shatters forcing them to evaluate truth.  Here's a snippet:

"In the world of 21st-century sports, Dungy cuts a unique figure. He is as close to power as any individual in the game. He is being courted by the Seattle Seahawks for a key front-office position, and is on the short list of virtually every club with a major job opening. Goodell works with him in connecting to the players. Dungy is the man in the boardroom, a valuable place to be.

Yet he connects to what could be described as the antithesis of power -- young African-American men, many at-risk, many in professional sports. He is rooted in the church, and thus, so are his politics. Consistent with his Christianity, he has publicly supported marriage as being defined only as a bond between a man and a woman, but he has contributed to the Indiana Democratic Party. His success and standing have created immense financial opportunities. He is in position, connected and popular, to become both an insider and a brand. As of yet, Dungy has largely shunned the endorsement route of some of his peers, appearing only in a Motorola advertisement when he was coaching."

Clearly the author seems shocked a well educated, Christian black man can be powerful, normal and want to help thugs.  I think Tony's able to bridge the gap because he sees thugs as normal people struggling with life, not heinous criminals. 

He's not enamored with himself, money or the trappings of success; he's in love with God.  Just like Job of the Bible, Tony has been blessed with monumental success and a loving family.  And just like Job he's had to endure unimaginable hardships, the burying of his son five years ago.

I think it's important not to idolize anyone, but Tony Dungy is one of the best public Christian role models any of us could hope for.  Go Tony.