I WISH I KNEW!

I WISH I KNEW!

Tom Brady wishes he knew and maybe you wish you knew too.

At 30, Tom Brady has achieved fame of epoch proportions in the football world. There is a good chance that Brady will go down as the best quarterback of all times.

Born in California in 1977, he followed the 49ers closely in the 1980’s attending their games and admiring quarterback Joe Montana – in fact, idolizing him. Then he played college football at the University of Michigan. He made his NFL debut in 2000 with the New England Patriots.

Between 2000 and 2007 his string of record-breaking successes catapulted him into the celebrity world of the rich and famous. During the 2007 NFL season Brady led the Patriots to a 16-0 record, outscoring opponents by more than a 2-to-1 margin. He also reached numerous career, franchise and NFL records and milestones as well. (1)

At 24, Brady was the youngest quarterback in NFL history to ever win a championship. Now at 30, he has already won three Super Bowls – a record that ensures he has a place among the best quarterbacks in football history.

Presidents invite him to their annual State of the Union addresses. The Pope invited him for a personal audience. He has a $60 million ten year contract with New England Patriots. He turns down multi-million dollar endorsement deals if he doesn’t feel good about them. The endorsements to which he does agree, he shares the proceeds with his teammates. On the personal side of things, he is considered one of the most eligible bachelors in the world who gets to date supermodels.

In December of 2007, 60 Minutes correspondent Steve Kroft interviewed Tom Brady. There were some surprises as Brady spoke candidly about his life and what he’s looking for.

Steve Kroft seemed genuinely surprised to hear this young athlete with fame and wealth tell him:

“Why do I have three Super Bowl rings and still think there's something greater out there for me? I mean, maybe a lot of people would say, ‘Hey man, this is what is.’ I reached my goal, my dream, my life. Me, I think, ‘God, it's got to be more than this.’ I mean this isn't, this can't be what it's all cracked up to be.” (2)

Steve Kroft then asked him: “What's the answer?”

“I wish I knew. I wish I knew,” says Brady. "I love playing football and I love being quarterback for this team. But at the same time, I think there are a lot of other parts about me that I’m trying to find."

It wasn’t a flippant response. The facial expressions and the tone of his voice captured in the video underlined the deep desire this young celebrity has to find the real purpose for his life – the answer that will bring him true and lasting fulfillment – not fleeting successes and thirst for something more.

The CBS 60 Minutes correspondent asked him about his three Super Bowl wins and which of his Super Bowl rings he liked the best. “What’s your favorite ring,” he asked.

“My favorite ring? I've always said, you know, I always said the next one. The next one is the best,” Brady says.

Tom Brady wishes he knew the answer to his life and maybe you wish you knew too.

The difference between humans and every other living creature is the conscious pursuit of life’s meaning and the inner desire for fulfillment. Humans are unique in that they were created with the capacity to enjoy a full relationship with God.

There is no question – the capacity for such a relationship exists. People try to fill it with personal successes and achievements. They may try to fill it with money or sex or friends and hobbies. They may turn to drugs and alcohol, gambling and other lifestyle choices. But at the end of the day, there is still an aching void. An emptiness. A longing for something more.

With his hefty string of accomplishments, sports awards, honors and trophies he incredulously thinks: “it's got to be more than this.’ I mean this isn't…. this can't be what it's all cracked up to be.”�You can hear the disappointment in his voice and see the look of disillusionment in his eyes.

2000 years ago Jesus talked to a woman He met at an ancient well. She was coming to draw water. Was there anything she had not tried in life?!! Certainly the men of her city knew very well she didn’t live a secluded or a dull life.

The message Jesus conveyed to her was: you’ll be thirsty again and again if this is the only water you ever drink in life. The water from this well can not satisfy you and quench your thirst permanently. Of course, He was sharing a timeless spiritual truth with her – beyond the physical water in that well.

Jesus said to her,

"Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again,
but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty forever.
The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."

John 4:13-14

The answer to Brady’s question and the answer to your question is the same: Christ alone can fill the void in your life. Nothing else will. Nothing else can. You were made to have a relationship with God and until you embrace Christ as your Saviour, there will always be that lack of fulfillment – an inner longing for something more.

When Christ enters your life, you will have an internal fountain that will keep you satisfied now and forever. He will quench your thirst.

1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Brady

2. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/11/03/60minutes/main1008148.shtml

3. Picture, Boston Globe, Google Images