While he continues impacting (albeit at times unconventionally) the Broncos and the entire NFL this season, Tim Tebow has also found a way (perhaps unbeknownst to him, although I doubt it) to impact people in Denver and throughout the country in ways that no other player could. One family in particular that Tebow has impacted is a third-generation Colorado family, the Suleimans. Tebow, the devout Christian known for his public expressions of faith, has become a hero to this Muslim-American family.
You see, it was the Suleiman brothers — Tariq, Ali and Mohammad — who
are responsible for “the Sign,” the towering electronic billboard that captured national attention when it began running messages in September urging the Denver Broncos to start Tim Tebow as quarterback.
The Washington Times has a wonderfully uplifting story (“Three Denver Muslims Lead Cheers for Tebow”) of how Tim Tebow, the football player, found a way into the hearts and lives of these brothers and their entire family. But, it’s not just Tebow’s role as quarterback that has impacted their lives. It’s also his faith:
It’s been suggested that he needs to tone down his expressions of religious faith, but the Suleimans disagree.
“It gives him encouragement, so it’s good,” said Ali, 28. Added Tariq: “That’s where he gets his strength, so he should keep it up because it’s good for Denver.”
They also appreciate Tebow’s squeaky-clean image. “It takes a lot of courage for Tebow to go out there and say he’s a devout Christian,” said Mohammad. “Tebow’s the kind of guy you want representing your city and team.”
Nobody has commented on the juxtaposition of Muslim fans leading the bandwagon on behalf of the uber-Christian Tebow. Well, almost nobody. “Just reporters,” said Mohammad.
The brothers’ support for Tebow shouldn’t come as a surprise, he said. “Muslim players play with Christian players in the NFL all the time,” said Mohammad.
The impact that Tim Tebow’s football and faith has had on the Suleiman’s cannot be overstated. If Tim Tebow can impact people named Boomer or three Muslim-American brothers named Tariq, Ali and Mohammad, then we should be able to impact our neighbors — regardless of their faith (or no faith at all) — with the Good News this Christmas season and in 2012! After all, the message of Christmas is God’s “glad tidings of great joy which shall be for all people.” There are no loopholes in “all” and everyone is our neighbor. I’m pretty sure that Jesus had something to say about that!
Quite a different story from Tebow’s former pastor Jerry Vines and the attention Vines got on NBC for some pretty outrageous statements post 911 calling Muslim faith a religion of Hate.
I came across the SI cover story of July 2009 on Tebow recently for first time. Tim’s Father Bob has much more hospitable statement about 1st eleven chapters of Genesis and Inerrancy than Pressler was able to push over on the SBC; and Nelson Price is now trying to enforce at Shorter College in Vines old town of Rome, Ga. See rn-t.com letters for that fiasco.
Howell, I hope you continue to follow this friendship between Tebow and Denver Muslim community. Now if we could only get Tim’s Mother to read the Jill Lepore story in New Yorker on Planned Parenthood and confess some of her politics have been eggregious.
How far will Tim’s ministry of reconciliation go, and at what point will he soften the heart of Jerry Vines and the takeover artists in the SBC?
Stephen,
Hope you had a wonderful Christmas! Thanks for the comment and for the link at BaptistLife. While I have my own views of Islam as a religion (as I would guess Tim Tebow and other Evangelical Christians do), that does not mean that we should not try to build relationships with people of different faiths (or no faith at all). Jesus’ own actions and words recorded in Scripture give us the perfect model for how we are to treat our neighbors, including those we might otherwise consider our “enemies.” I’m pretty sure that agape love was at the center of those actions and words. I can’t speak for Tim Tebow or anyone else, but Christ’s love should shine through our lives to touch both believers and unbelievers alike. I think that we can be more winsome in our witness when we display more grace than law 🙂 May the Lord bless you in the coming year. God bless,
Howell