I have a bone to pick with Tebow haters.
I've been chewing on this one for quite some time now, but my most recent conversation about Tebow left me feeling all kinds of different emotions about how people are perceiving Tebow.
I've been a Tim Tebow fan since his junior year at Florida. At his infamous press conference, I admired his leadership and competitive nature. At that time, I wasn't even fully aware that he was even a Christian. It was the first time that I had really even taken note of who he was...and I instantly liked and admired him.
That's when I started to follow him in sports. I became a Florida Gators fan, I started gaining respect for Urban Meyer as a coach and mentor. When they won the National Championship, I remember feeling happy, but what I seem to remember most during that game was how the commentators seemed to be so hard on him. It wasn't because of his Bible verses written under his eyes, but they just didn't think he had the star power and ability to make it in the NFL. I remember thinking "How can these guys say that? It's not necessarily based completely on skill, but on will and leadership and competitiveness. You just can't TEACH that. And Tebow HAS it".
I didn't have a love affair with the Broncos team at that point, other than the fact that it was my son's favorite team. So when Tebow was drafted to the Broncos, I was happy that we could share that common love together on one team. And I had a feeling that it would only be a matter of time before this natural born leader was out on the field, proving people wrong.
Okay, so that's all just a short story to lead in to why I love Tebow. It's not because it's a popular thing to talk about now and I love a good debate. My most recent qualm about the whole Tebow thing is that people, those claiming to be Christian people, have gotten on a certain bandwagon with him that saddens me. In the conversation I had, it was the typical "Yeah...I get that he's a Christian and all, but it's just TOO much. He doesn't have to ALWAYS put it out there...". I GET that from a non-believing, agnostic, atheist, whatever non-Christian person, that's fine they think that. But for people who claim Christ....where did we go wrong?
One of the Bible verses Paul and I have had TJ learn and recite often when he's shooting hoops or playing football in the backyard is Psalm 34:1. Sometimes before a free throw shot, we won't' give him the ball until he says "I will bless the Lord at all times". You see, as a competitive little boy (HIGHLY competitive), we have had to work very hard at teaching him that it's okay to be intense in competition and want to win, but that's not what it's all about. Competing in sports, to us, is about having a "stage" that God gives you to be able to act differently...not because you're acting, but because God is more important to us than ANYTHING, even winning.
The latter part of Psalm 34:1 that TJ doesn't normally recite says "His praise shall continually be on my lips." There is not a better verse I can think of that I would tag with Tim Tebow. With him, there's no such thing as "too much God". And as Christian people, we should feel the same. In his most recent comeback win against the Bears, Tebow can be heard while mic'd up SINGING "Our God is an awesome God" at a very critical time in the game.
Some say he does it for show, only because he knew he had the mike on. I would highly disagree with that statement, only because I think the world is in wonder, even Christians are in wonder...they don't know how to handle it that a Christian man is out there on the field and AT ALL TIMES, has the praise of God on his lips. What a tremendous example he has been. Whether or not you like him, you can't disagree that this is a young man who not only proclaims his faith, but walks as diligently as he is able, in order to bring honor to the God He loves and adores so much. For a Mom who is teaching a young 8 year old boy the value of competing beyond wins and losses, I cannot say how much I appreciate the national stage that God has placed Tim Tebow on to set an example for my learning son. And me!
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