The Gospel of Who Dat?!

The Gospel of Who Dat?!

“And they shall be called Saints.” If there were a book in the Bible, or anywhere, about the Who Dat Nation, likely it would either begin or end in such a manner.

But there is not. Instead, we are left as a people to interpret the Bible, specifically the Gospel, in given situations. And I strongly believe that what has happened in New Orleans, with the football team winning a Super Bowl Championship, is really parallel to the Gospel.

We all know the story by now. Sean Payton was brought in as head coach, and his first act of business was to make a move on a quarterback. But not just any quarterback. No. This quarterback would be a guy who was coming off possibly career-ending shoulder surgery. His name of course is Drew Brees.

Brees was the first one among these people to speak of a calling. He spoke of how everything happens for a reason. He spoke of faith. And he spoke of doing things for more than just football. He felt called to come and help in the reconstruction of a city destroyed by natural disaster.   

He is a modern day Nehemiah if you ask me. I say that because he has been the leader, literally and figuratively, in the rebuilding. He has paid to have schools and fields rebuilt better than ever. He has spent time with numerous children and cancer patients to give them hope.

He doesn’t always mention that he’s a Christian, or call someone to the faith. He doesn’t have to; his actions are the proof.

When you watch Brees play the quarterback position, you see a man who has nearly perfected his craft. He is a guy who is so in-sync with his coach that he is really just another coach out on the field. If asked to, he could call the game, and would do a wonderful job.

But the thing that continues to amaze me is that even after having won the Lombardi Trophy and Super Bowl MVP, he continues to deflect praise. He continues to speak about how great his teammates are, how well-coached he is, how much the city of New Orleans needs hope.

Much like Nehemiah, Brees’s actions have given the people hope. They’ve seen that there is someone who cares. They’ve seen there is someone working his tail off to make sure that—at least on Sundays—the people can cling to something good. There is someone whose actions point them to something better.

You see, if Brees and his teammates were simply making themselves look good and doing this for themselves, and asking their fans to look to them as saviors or gods, then what they were doing would not be a good thing.

But because Brees and his teammates are pointing to their work as proof that a city can rebuild, they are saying that their work is merely a reflection of what is possible through faith. It is what is possible through community. It is what is possible through perseverance.

But most of all, they are pointing people to a savior. That savior is someone that people from all over the globe, not just New Orleans, need. The Gospel is for broken people who have no other hope.

Brees had no hope when he tore his shoulder on New Year’s Eve 2005. He needed Jesus. He had him. But the point is that when he realized this, he was in position to point others to him as well.

As a member of the Saints, there is no doubt he has done that. And his teammates have responded. Many of them too have a strong faith. In fact, it is really a team made up of character guys who have believed in a resurrected God who conquers.

And for those who don’t, they are still witnesses of the power of the Gospel. Look at Jeremy Shockey. He was long known as a discontent in New York. Since arriving in New Orleans, those issues have mostly been null and void. Why?

You see the Gospel says that no matter how bad you’ve been you can always make amends. I don’t sense that Shockey has come to believe in Jesus. But I do sense that he has come to a place in his life where he realizes that his past was a sad reality and that he needed a new start.

New Orleans has been a welcome spot for him. They welcomed him with open arms, and as a result he has flourished. That is the Gospel.

Sean Payton, to my knowledge, is not a believer either, but in his morning press conference he spoke of praying to God at 3 A.M. in thanksgiving for having the ability to coach this team and to be in this situation.

I don’t know what exactly was going on in Payton’s heart and mind, and I’m not trying to speculate. But one could sense a man overwhelmed by something that was clearly bigger than him.

Maybe he, like Brees, is actually a believer, but not one whom feels the need to publicize such a thing. He would rather experience it himself and allow others to view the effects of his belief rather than hear empty words. I don’t know.

What I do know is that there is something bigger going on in New Orleans than simply football. A Super Bowl Championship is not simply a culmination of the past four years. In my opinion, it is the wall being rebuilt, and now the people can celebrate. But they still must guard their city.

And they must continue building the city around it. Now you don’t even know if I’m talking about the football team, or the city itself.