FAITH TRIUMPHS OVER RACE

 

 

 

Coach Dave Daubenmire
February 7, 2007
NewsWithViews.com

"I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character." --Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

The American media could learn a thing or two from Tony Dungy.

For those of you who may not follow sports Tony Dungy (Dun jee) is the head football coach of the Super Bowl Champion Indianapolis Colts. On Sunday evening, as the entire world watched, he led his team to a 29-17 victory over the Chicago Bears.

All of the hype leading up to the game was focused on the fact that Coach Dungy and Bears Coach Lovie Smith were the first two African-American coaches to lead their teams to the Super Bowl. The politically-correct media-world slobbered all over themselves as they reported on this most historic of all social-occurrences. The winner of this game would be the first black-man to have ever coached a Super Bowl champion team. Equating this event to Rosa Parks and Jackie Robinson, the stuck-in-the-sixties-media gushed with accolades of these two fine men and the racial-obstacles they had presumably overcome.

While most of America has moved beyond race, those who frame the opinions of our society are the most racist-minded citizens in this nation. I know this is hard for the Katie Couric's of the world to understand, but when the average football fan looks at the face of Tony Dungy they see the face of a coach, not a black-coach. They see a champion, not a former slave.

Dr. King must be so proud of Tony Dungy. Despite the constant attempt by the media to focus all of our attention on race, Coach Dungy did not take the bait. As he stood on the podium in the post-game ceremony the subject of race was once again laid before him. With all of the class we have come to expect from this valiant man, he drop-kicked the issue through the goal posts with the following exchange found on World Net Daily.

Jim Nantz of CBS Sports: This is one of those moments, Tony, where there is also social significance in this victory, and to have your hands on the Vince Lombardi Trophy. Tell me what this means to you right now.

Tony Dungy: I'll tell you what. I'm proud to be representing African-American coaches, to be the first African-American to win this. It means an awful lot to our country. But again, more than anything, I've said it before, Lovie Smith and I, are not only the first two African-Americans, but Christian coaches showing that you can win doing it the Lord's way. AND WE"RE MORE PROUD OF THAT! (emphasis mine)

In the heart of Tony Dungy, his race was secondary to his faith. Faith triumphs over race. That is what he was proud of.

A little over a year ago Tony Dungy buried his 18-year old son, James, the victim of suicide, in the midst of the football season. One can only wonder at the horror associated with such a tragedy. Yet through it all, the Dungy family stood strong.

And what was Coach Dungy's message to the world as he stood on the podium a year later in Miami? It is character that matters, not skin color. Faith triumphs over race.

In 2001, when Dungy was fired as Coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, it was his faith that sustained him, not his race.

When he buried his son, James, it was his faith that sustained him, not his race.

When the family donated his son's organs so that others might live, it was his faith that sustained him, not his race.

When he struggled with the awesome responsibility of providing leadership in the midst of personal tragedy, it was his faith that sustained him, not his race.

In the quiet moments of questioning that certainly flooded his heart, the "if only's" and "what if's" that accompany such a tragedy, it was his faith that sustained him, not his race.

When all of the pressure associated with such a high profile position pushed down upon him, it was his faith that sustained him, not his race.

When the temptation came to cut corners, to compromise his beliefs, to do it like everyone else, it was his faith that guided him, not his race.

And as he stood on that podium and hoisted the championship trophy, he wanted the world to know that it was Tony Dungy, a Christian, not Tony Dungy a black-man, that had accomplished this unthinkable goal.

As Coach Dungy so eloquently put it following the death of his son, "Pain sometimes lets us know we have a condition that needs to be healed. Pain inside sometimes lets us know that spiritually we're not quite right, and we need to be healed. And that God will send that healing agent right to the spot. Sometimes pain is the only way that will turn us as kids back to the Father."

It was Jesus and His Father that he turned to, not his race. We would all do well to follow his example.

There is much destroying America today, not the least of which is the constant drumbeat of race. In a world where the media wants to focus on the color of one's skin, Coach Dungy wants the world to know that it is more significant what he is on the inside, not what is on the outside.

Yet still the media-world did not get it. In media-reports here is the politically-correct, Christianity-cleansed quote associated with Coach Dungy following his super victory;

"We took the hit early with Devin Hester," Dungy said. "We talked about it_`It's going to be a storm. Sometimes you have to work for it.' Our guys played so hard, and I can't tell you how proud I am of our group, our organization and our city."

Here is what he really said:

"We took the hit early with Devin Hester," Dungy said. "We talked about it, the Lord doesn't always take you in a straight line. He tests you sometimes. It's going to be a storm. Sometimes you have to work for it.' Our guys played so hard, and I can't tell you how proud I am of our group, our organization and our city."

Tony Dungy knows about tests, and especially how to get through them. It's faith that matters, not race. "The Lord doesn't always take you in a straight line�."

I Corinthians 9:24 "Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain."

Tony Dungy knows what the world can't understand. There are only two races, those racing for heaven and those racing for hell!

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Whenever those who know him speak about Tony Dungy, it is the content of his character of which they speak, not the color of his skin, in fulfillment of the dream so eloquently expressed by Dr. King.

He did it the Lord's way.

From one brother to another Coach Dungy, let me assure you that Jesus is so proud of you!

America needs more Tony Dungys!

Do you think like a Christian or a humanist? Did the Founders really separate Church and State? Is Judicial tyranny ruining America? Check out these great teachings by the Coach.

� 2007 Dave Daubenmire - All Rights Reserved