Even though Tim Tebow was not able to pull-out another Mile High Miracle against the New England Patriots last Sunday (tough for any team when you turn the ball over three times in your own half of the field), perhaps a greater miracle was unfolding on the Sean Hannity Show. Sitting in for Sean, Guest Host Monica Crowley interviewed Boomer Esiason, the former NFL quarterback and current CBS football analyst, about football in general and Tim Tebow in particular.
I have been especially critical of Esiason because of what I perceived as his (and Dan Marino’s) mocking of Tim Tebow last season. That biased mocking, which continued this season, was not always confined to an analysis of Tebow’s on-the-field performances, but also included commentary which came across as a knock against Tebow’s overt display of faith.
Esiason, like many others, believe that Tim Tebow wears his religion on his sleave. When Esiason says that, he can’t help but view what Tim does on the field through the lens of faith However, I would argue that Tebow does not wear his religion on his sleeve (that’s not really what Christians are supposed to do), but rather wears the righteousness of Christ like a garment covering his entire body. What Esiason and others fail to understand is that a Christian’s faith (whether it’s Tim Tebow or someone else) should not be separated from the person. Our faith should overflow in our life 24/7. I said should because no one — including Tim Tebow — lives out their faith perfectly. But, when Christ is the center of our life, we will take the name of Jesus with us wherever we go, even on the football field. That’s perhaps why Tim Tebow, in the midst of a hard-fought game against the Patriots, could lift up a prayer for Andre Carter, who suffered a season-ending injury on Sunday.
It’s unfortunate that just the mention of the name “Jesus Christ” elicits such strongly negative opinions against Tim Tebow. He is certainly not alone in receiving his fair share of mocking and ridicule, although he is in a far more public position than many Christians who face similar “attacks.” Of course, Jesus tells us that those who endure hardship on account of Him will ultimately be blessed!
There’s no question that Tim Tebow has been blessed. He has been blessed with a God-given athletic ability to play the game of football. But, he has been blessed in a much more significant way. Tim Tebow has been blessed that he might not just win football games, but that he might ultimately use his fame to bless others and to lift up the name of Jesus Christ. It’s that perspective on football, faith, and life itself that often perplexes and frustrates so many within the sports world. They can’t understand how Tebow could respond to a question by NFL Network’s Jeff Darlington: “How is the strength of your faith impacted after a loss?”
“It puts things in perspective,” Tebow said. “God is still God. I still have a relationship with Christ, and a loss doesn’t change anything. Win or lose, everything is still the same. What matters is the girl I’m about to see, Kelly Faughnan. If I can inspire hope in someone, then it’s still a good day.”
When other NFL players are being arrested for cocaine possession, Tim Tebow is thinking of others before himself. How many sports figures are known for that? In our self-centered culture, Tim Tebow is a counter-cultural phenomenon who has won football games and in the process won over a nation, including some of his most vocal critics. One such critic — Boomer Esiason — actually said that he was wrong about Tebow. While still arguing that Tebow needs to improve his passing skills (I’m sure not too many people would disagree with that assessment), Esiason now believes that what Tim Tebow does on the football field “is pretty amazing.” Boomer even admitted that “he (Tebow) does things I could never do.”
All I can say is, Wow! If you would have asked me at the beginning of the season if Boomer Esiason would ever have anything nice to say about Tim Tebow’s football skills (we all know Boomer would love to have Tim as a son-in-law), I would have said no way. In the last nine weeks, Tim Tebow and the Denver Broncos have won 7 out of 9 games they have played and are in a position to win the AFC West. While Tim Tebow continues to confound (and convert) his critics, he would be the first one to tell you that there’s more to life than winning football games. When Tebow’s critics begin to realize that, something greater than a Mile High Miracle will have occurred. Just win, baby! Better yet. Just believe!
Couple things .. Jesus didn’t say we would ultimately be blessed when we’re reviled for His name’s sake .. we’re blessed when it happens. I don’t know how all that works, but when we can stand against the critics in love, ask yourself if we’d be more blessed were we to resort to the world’s sort of retaliation.
Perhaps we don’t look for the blessings when we experience such treatment.
Also, I’ve always thought of believers as being like leaky tanks. If the pressure inside a leaky tank exceeds that outside, then what’s inside is going to leak out. Going to become evident. If, however, the pressure outside is greater than that inside, then what’s outside is going to seep in. Putting that spiritually, if our faith is greater than the world’s pressure, our faith is going to gush out. But if the pressure of the world is greater than our belief, then the world is going to invade us.
Tim T has high-pressure faith. It just has to leak out. Perhaps his detractors are trying to balance the pressures, or worse yet, have no spiritual pressure at all.
Bob,
I love your analogy of the leaky tanks. That illustrates things nicely. As to “ultimate” blessings, I think what I was trying to say (albeit not as clearly as I could have) is that we would indeed be blessed (both now and later) for that mocking and ridicule that we receive because of His name. Would that we all (myself included) had such high-pressure faith as Tim Tebow. Here’s to the inside pressure far exceeding the outside pressure in 2012! Hope you have a very Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year! God bless,
Howell
Being a BIG Bronco fan, I really wanted the Broncs to win Sunday, but found myself praying for Tim throughout the game…that win or lose, his response would accurately reflect his standing in Christ, and be recognized by the media so the world can see the difference in the way a true follower of Jesus Christ responds to adversity and defeat. I was very pleased with Tim’s response, and thankful for this blog that gave a great description of the issue the world has with Mr. Tebow. Just last week I was sitting in a local restaurant with some friends and the topic of Tebow’s testimony and outspoken faith came up. I was surprised that even some of my Christian brothers were a bit confused with Tim’s “in your face” Christianity. As we talked the topic through, I think more of them came to a better understanding of how we are to live out our faith in the world everyday. It is a practice that has begun to slip away from the average Christian as we have allowed the “political correctness” of the world to seep into our own thinking. I hope all of this discussion will cause many to stop and think about their own testimony, and how they are being viewed by others they work and play with.
Tim,
I think you are absolutely correct in how many Christians simply do not live out their faith in their every day lives. It’s one thing to show your faith on Sunday morning at church, but it’s quite another to allow (as you say) your faith to seep out in all that you do. None of us are perfect in that regard, but Tim Tebow has certainly given the world a great witness of what it means to live by faith every day. I think it has caused many people — both Christians and non-Christians — to reevaluate what they believe and how they live out their own values. It will be interesting to see how God continues to use Tim and how Tim responds to what happens — both good and bad. To God be the glory! Thanks for reading. Enjoyed talking with you and Linda the other night. Hope you have a wonderful Christmas and a blessed New Year! God bless,
Howell
I thought that Christians were supposed to give up their worldly goods and follow Jesus. Mr Tebow then should not be making millions of dollars then. As a christian the lord states: It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God. Better enjoy your worldly goods then Mr. Tebow because heaven is out for you.
David,
Thanks for reading and taking the time to comment. Sorry for the delay in responding. Tim Tebow now has plenty of time on his hands to figure out what to do with the money that God has entrusted to him. Your presupposition — namely that Christians were supposed to give up their wordly goods and follow Jesus — is common, yet mistaken. The totality of Scripture never condemns money or material possessions in and of themselves. However, to the extent that money or material goods (or anythhing else, for that matter, including sports or jobs or recreation or blogging) keep us from following Jesus, then we have made those things idols, which is a sin. Those who have much money often fall into the trap of worshipping their money, thus making it “easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God.” But, as with everyone, the only way to be saved is through faith in Jesus Christ. With God, all things are possible. Hope that helps to clarify my thoughts on Tim Tebow and money. God bless,
Howell