Let me start by saying that I know very little of sports statistics and individual players. Ask me to come up with 10 NFL players this season and I will get stuck at 5. Ask me to rank those 5 by statistical success and the conversation is effectively over. But what I do know is of those 5 I could name, Tim Tebow, for better or worse, would be one.
Why do I know Tebow? Because Tebow knows Jesus Christ. Not only is Jesus Tim’s personal Lord and Savior, but JC is also Tim’s right-hand man, his go to guy in the clutch, his ace in the hole. I know this because Tim can’t help but tell anyone who may or may not ask that Jesus is his Lord and Savior. Tim can’t help but offer all things great and small or seemingly miraculous on field up to Jesus (and the cameras can’t seem to stop catching him in the act.)
If the Broncos happen to win the Super Bowl this year, before Tim is going to Disney World, he is taking to his knees and giving a shout out to the Lord.
This seems to bother some folks. His public displays of religious affection make a lot of media types uncomfortable. Somehow his actions being broadcast into millions of homes weekly via public airwaves represents a gross violation of the separation of church and state. If you ever want to catch a sports channel and not hear discussions of sports, catch it while they are discussing Tebow. The very legitimate concerns of his pro-ball skills – he really cannot pass – are incidental to the very serious matter of his religiousity.
Personally, I don’t care to what Tebow attributes his inexplicable success of each game; Jesus, Buddha, his hard working mother who didn’t abort him, the red Powerade on the sidelines. To me, his genuflections are no different than any celebratory touchdown dance by any other player. Some of those have a little tip to God also. I note the NFL penalizes excessive celebration and perhaps in time it will penalize all forms of player piety as well because of Tim. But for now, it hasn’t and I view it no differently than countless other rituals pro-sports players do daily. Jeter has a ritual. He steps out of box after each pitch and readjusts the Velcro on his batting gloves with obsessive precision.
I recall a few years back having to endure Sammy Sosa constantly crossing himself before each at bat. To make it worse he had the audacity to kiss it all up to God each time, too. In fact, I have had to sit through countless ballplayers and entertainment figures thanking God in some manner for their successes over the years. And like Tebow now with his Jesus, that other stuff then never bothered me. Funny thing is it never bothered anyone else either. Why Tim’s proclamation of faith is akin to prosthelytizing while other public figures’ affirmations are not reeks of hypocrisy. Argue against it all or argue against none of it. Selective application of censorship is tyrannical.
Like I said, it shouldn’t matter how Tebow handles his inconceivable gains and I suspect as long as the Broncos keep defying the odds, Management will allow Tebow to keep thanking Jesus. Besides given how he ranks his career below his Lord and Savior, if anyone told him to stop or face suspension, Tim would drop in prayer thanking God for the opportunity he had to play ball, no matter how short it was.
The more we dwell on his actions, the more devoted to it he may become and therein is the problem with Tebow’s adherence to his faith. He may take his Christian soldier marching onward a bit too seriously and begin to take pride in the status assigned him by his following. Pride is a vice and serves to elevate our stature above that of God’s. Pride is not a quality found in faithful servants of the Lord. No prophet wanted the responsibilities thrust upon him by God. Even Jesus sought a reprieve from His death before submitting to God’s will. Tebow ought to keep that in mind before he chooses to assume inhuman attributes afforded him by his defenders. Humility doesn’t seek the spotlight. Modesty doesn’t necessitate a response to every inquiry made of him.
I know of two scripture passages in which Jesus discusses how we should pray. One instructs us to lock ourselves away in a room where no one can see us. The other offers up a humble sinner who lingers in the back of the temple too ashamed of his sinfulness to even lift his eyes to the sky as the manner in which God recognizes a humble and contrite heart. Both instances criticize the very public displays of faith which seem to seek the attention and approval of onlookers over that of God’s attention.
Tim’s winning streak may not last beyond his next game but his props to Jesus will continue regardless. Detractors will be quick to jump on the next sack, interception and loss as a sign that faith is for the foolish. Maybe. Maybe not. If it helps someone survive another day, who are we to judge? But if Tim is looking to survive in the multi-billion dollar industry in which he has found himself, aside from some serious off-season re-training, he might want to consider a humble and contrite approach to praising his Lord.
As the naysayers increase, and they will, Tebow no doubt will have the courage defend his faith. Here’s to hoping he also has acquired the wisdom to turn the other cheek more often not and the serenity to accept that Jesus already knows Tim is grateful for that unbelievable 93 yard, 4th quarter drive before Tim even remembers to take to his knees in thanks.
