Tom Brady cited for working out in a public park: God often works through people the world ignores

Tom Brady won six Super Bowls for the New England Patriots
and has now become the quarterback of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. However, as
excited as Tampa Bay fans might be, Brady’s iconic status didn’t earn him
special treatment in one of their parks.

Tampa’s mayor, Jane Castor, broke the story during a news
briefing yesterday. It seems Brady was working out in a downtown park that had
been closed due to the coronavirus pandemic. A member of the parks staff
spotted him and cited him.

CNN notes that it has reached out to the Buccaneers for a comment from the team or Brady but has not heard back yet.

SARS-CoV-2 pays no attention to Super Bowl victories or
mayoral status. It is afflicting celebrities like Tom Hanks and hospital
workers who care for them. Its ubiquitous danger reminds us of our shared
humanity and shared need for help beyond ourselves.

God often works through people the world ignores

In a culture dominated by sports figures and celebrities, we
are learning that all humans are mortal. Even when treatments and a vaccine for
coronavirus are developed, other deadly diseases will be just as deadly.
Tornadoes and other natural disasters will still plague our broken world.

But when we look to our Maker, we find in him the help and
hope we can find nowhere else.

The psalmist declared: “Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who greatly delights in his commandments!” (Psalm 112:1). He adds: “Light dawns in the darkness for the upright; he is gracious, merciful, and righteous” (v. 4). Such a person “is not afraid of bad news; his heart is firm, trusting in the Lord. His heart is steady; he will not be afraid” (vv. 7–­8).

When we fear the Lord, we need not fear anyone else.

In fact, God often works in our world not…