Sunday, January 15, 2012

Why You Like Tebow Too Much

Patriots Broncos FootballIn a previous post, which you can read here, I wrote about why so many people hate Tim Tebow, the much aligned, much talked about Quarterback for the Denver Broncos. In that post, I made this statement in the opening:

To be fair, there are those who are fans of Tim Tebow who go overboard the other way. But that discussion is for another post another day.

Well, today is that day. Before you read any further, please understand where I am coming from and don’t misunderstand my motives for posting this. This is not a critique of the football player. Other than the fact that he is the subject of the adoration of many, he really has very little to do with what I am talking about. From everything I have read and seen, he is very genuine about his faith and practices what he believes. This is a warning to his fans who follow him.

Have you spent much time wondering why it is that so many Christians want to champion him as the new “Face of the Faith” in everything they say and do? It seems to me as if many Christians today have an inferiority complex. They feel like if they could just point to someone famous, or popular, then they themselves would feel some sort of connection with that elusive “cool club.” {And yes, I realize that by typing the words “cool club” I probably will never be admitted into it!}. The truth of the matter is, God did not save us and set us apart to be cool, popular, or even in the mainstream. Instead, we have been called to be a peculiar, or set apart, people for God (1 Peter 2:9).  Truth is, we don’t need a nee “Face of the Faith,” we have Jesus and His Word.

Also, this “Tebow-mania” reminds me a lot of the old email about how NASA found the missing day that is mentioned in the book of Joshua. The crux of the thought behind the email usually went like this:sun in sky

And if NASA found it, then Bible must be true and there is no way you could deny that so now you must believe in Jesus as your savior, too…etc.

While I am not trying to pick on you if you forwarded that email sometime in the past (the truth on this issue can be read here at the Answers in Genesis website), the truth is this – we don’t need NASA or any celebrity Christian to validate the correctness of the Bible, God, and Jesus Christ. You don’t have to try to find some sort of biblical relevance for every little thing Tebow does on the football field. Even if he didn’t throw 316 yards in his first playoff victory after being told to by his owner, whose first name was John, John 3:16 would still be in the Bible and would still be wealth of truth.

At the end of the day, those who are anti-Tebow, and anti-faith, will still continue to mock and make fun of him. That much we know. What I am wondering is this: Will those who spent so much time talking to to others about this certain believer who happened to play football for a living now begin to talk as much to those same people about the Savior who motivated him and should motivate us? Maybe if more people did, then guys like Tebow would not be such a rarity to the media today. That is the real issue at play here.

2 comments:

  1. Agree with your sum up! I don't know Tebow enough to know for instance, what church he goes to, but I do like the fact that he is standing for something unpopular (public prayer) when many Christians won't even pray with their families aloud in a restaurant. My husband (and I LOVE him for this every time he does it!) not only prays, but he adds something about the gospel. He is not overly loud, nor does he recite the Roman's Road (!), but he always adds something like "Thank you for giving your Son, Jesus, and sending Him to die for our sins so that all who trust in Him can be saved". Planting seeds.

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