"But as for that in the good soil, these are the ones who, when they hear the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart and bear fruit with endurance." (Luke 8:15)
There's news about the NFL's Tommy DeVito who rose to viral fame -- and captured my heart! -- in November thanks to his Cinderella story in which he became the starting quarterback for his hometown New York Giants.
Unfortunately, during a division rivalry game against the Philadelphia Eagles on Christmas Day, DeVito was benched for subpar play in favor of the team's other backup Tyrod Taylor. Additionally, DeVito had had a poor game the week prior when his team managed only six points. And that seems to be all the reason his head coach needed to name Taylor the starter for this weekend's last game of the season.
So, maybe the Disney movie won't actually become a reality. Bummer. ... I was really digging this joyful story about a pro sport that produces so many bad headlines.
I think many folks would have understood had DeVito wanted to hang his head a bit after possibly his shot at the dream of being a starting NFL quarterback went bust. A guy deserves a little bit of time to sulk, right?
But what's so enduring about DeVito is that isn't how he's cut. No Eeyore syndrome in this kid! Nada!
Just days after getting benched, DeVito made a fan-centered appearance at Bubbakoo's Burritos in Livingston, N.J., which was the first stop of several such meet and greets throughout New Jersey that day. During the appearances, he signed autographs for the owners, and then posed with all comers who drug with them all kinds of merchandise for the viral sensation QB to sign. DeVito was even a good enough sport to pose for selfies for his admirers too!
The best part of the story? ... DeVito's mom -- who handles all of his merch sales! -- followed him around to all of the eateries to sell Tommy "Cutlets" t-shirts at $35 a pop! ... DeVito earned that nickname when in an interview he mentioned that he eats his ma's homemade chicken cutlet for dinner ... because ... you know ... he lives with his parents!
Seriously! ... I think I love this kid more than I did even previously when he was in the bright lights of stardom because of his surprise fill-in QB stint! ... He just seems like a perfect example of someone grounded in the "good soil" and has "an honest and good heart" that bears "fruit with endurance," as the Gospel of Luke describes for us above.
Again, I'm not privy as to whether DeVito and his family profess to be faithful people. But based on their actions and the fact that they choose to make lemonade out the lemons handed to them, I see the Holy Spirit prevalent in their lives.
One of the things our faith helps give us is resiliency, because through our faith we learn that what truly is important in this world. And that is that God so loved the world he gave us his only son, and also that Jesus Christ by way of his sacrifice atoned for all of our sins for all eternity. All the other things in our daily lives -- including whether you keep that starting NFL QB gig after a meteoric rise or not! -- are distractions to the ultimate truth ... the gospel!
In a story for the sports news site "The Athletic," his mom, Lexy Devito, shared: "It’s been exciting. It’s been overwhelming. We’re enjoying every week as it comes to us. We’re truly blessed that he made it this far.”
So it sure seems that DeVito -- and his family -- seems to understand what being faithful is, whether that's through the intentional practice of faith, or through the Holy Spirit's helpful guidance under cover!
We'd all do well to take a lesson from how Tommy "Cutlets" is handling his seemingly brief moment in the white hot spotlight of pro sports stardom. After all, there are far more average "everydays" in the scope of each of our lives than there are the days in which we are on top of the world.
And being a faithful person, it's far more important how we handle and conduct ourselves during the days when we get benched than the days we get the starting QB call. ... Amen.
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