Washington Post John 3:16 is #1 Google Search after National Championship game with more than 90 million searches
What I like about Tim Tebow is that he knows who he is. The media does not know what to do with Tim Tebow. They want to cover the game, the struggle and the heroic plays, but they can’t cover Tim without revealing Jesus. There have been many who have come before that have recognized their God after a conquest on the athletic field, but none have drawn the attention that Tim Tebow has brought to his “Tebowing”, his solo act of taking a knee, bowing the head with a fist on his forehead, and offering up his prayer after making a great play or at the end of the game. Tim’s athletic performance in college put him on a grand stage where he proclaimed the gospel on the field and with John 3:16 written under his eyes. Many skeptics did not believe his style of play would be effective in the NFL, but Tim proved them wrong as he seemingly put the entire Bronco team on his back and willed his way to a comeback or win. Tim’s season with the Bronco’s almost seemed supernatural and served to draw more attention to everything he did on and off the field. Tim has painted a big target on his chest and is required even more to live to a higher standard as the world is looking for him to fail.
Tim’s faith permeates everything he does. You cannot cover Tim Tebow without covering his faith because Tim and his faith are one. On the field and off the field Tim’s faith goes with him. How many of us tend to compartmentalize our lives? We go to church on Sunday. On Monday we go to work and leave Sunday behind. Friday and Saturday we enjoy in our hobbies and social activities and mix well into any crowd. Do the people at our work have the opportunity to experience God’s love through interacting with us and observing our actions and decisions? Does our relationship with Christ permeate our hobbies and social interests? Are the fruits of the spirit evident in the daily activities of life and work? If the media were covering you would your life, your actions and your faith be intertwined and consistently represent the love of God that lives in you? When interviewing you about your career would the discussion reveal Jesus as your strength, confidence and hope?
We are called to be a light in a dark world. We should be noticeably different in an attractive way that begs people to ask why we are different? What I like about Tim is that he is not ashamed of the gospel that saved him and his life is about living out his faith courageously and boldly testifying to the greatness of God’s love for all. You can’t separate Tim’s athletic accomplishments and performance on the field from his faith and that is what I admire about him. That is what encourages and inspires me. I tend to put my trust in my hard work, my network and my position. When the prospects look grim and I tend to trust in my own efforts my internal stress increases. However when I find my trust and confidence in God’s sovereignty and grace I can face and accept these uncertainties with the confidence and hope that my Heavenly Father is in control and has given me His Word and he cares for me and developing my character in good and challenging times. When I can count my trials as joy knowing that the testing of my faith produces endurance and help to be complete and lacking in nothing I know that God is in control and I am confident in His plan for me. When I can be content in every circumstance as the apostle Paul, the world does not have an answer.
Whether you are a fan of Tim Tebow or not I hope you will all be inspired by his consistent lifestyle and find your faith in Jesus inseparable from all the areas of your life.
