Saturday, January 14, 2012

Tim Tebow bugs me....

This morning I had an online conversation with a couple of friends and Tim Tebow came up. Both of them had the same feelings, and they said that Tim Tebow bugs them. I asked them why: "For me, he's just way too over the top and flings his stuff in everyone's face. Feels like I'm being proselytized all the time. Way too in your face."

Their feelings echo the same things that a bunch of media and others have been saying. Tebow wears his religion on his sleeve, they say. And they don't like it one bit.

He is often 'caught' on camera kneeling in prayer, before games, after games and frequently after a good play. His posture has been dubbed 'Tebowing'. Sometimes he even kneels down to talk to a suffering child.

Not everything Tim Tebow does on one
knee is controversial. Ask Zac Taylor.

Every post-game interview I've seen, he begins by saying something like, "First and foremost I'd like to thank my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." In college, he would put Bible verses on his eye-black stickers.

These actions have garnered attacks from the media (no surprise), but also other players as well. "Former Broncos quarterback Jake Plummer told the Daily Mail, “I wish he’d just shut up after a game and go hug his teammates.” Even others claiming to be Christians have attacked him. “It seems Tebow might help himself and the kingdom by getting off his knees, taking the verses off of his face, and being faithful to Christ without the public acts like all the other Christians in the NFL have done for decades,” wrote Anthony Bradley, an associate professor of theology and ethics at The Kings College in New York City, in World Magazine.
(Both quotes from http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2011/12/12/why-are-anti-christian-bigots-so-eager-to-prey-on-tim-tebow/


Now he even has witches casting spells against him. You think I'm kidding?? Read this: http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2012/01/13/mass-witches-assembling-to-end-tim-tebows-season-keep-tom-bradys-alive/?intcmp=obnetwork

These attacks on Tebow are just yet another piece of evidence that there is a movement in this country to suppress religious expression, primarily Christian religious expression. I said movement because I believe that's exactly what it is. An organized attack, really. They want Christians to shut up and keep our religion privately in our homes where no one else can see it. Definitely keep it out of schools, out of government buildings and off of football fields!

Tebow. Wanna know what this guy does? "Every week, Tebow picks out someone who is suffering, or who is dying, or who is injured, flies them and their families to the Broncos game, rents them a car, puts them up in a nice hotel, buys them dinner (usually at a Dave and Buster's), gets them and their families pregame passes, visits with them just before kickoff (!), gets them 30-yard line tickets down low, visits with them after the game (sometimes for an hour), has them walk him to his car, and sends them off with a basket of gifts. Home or road, win or lose, hero or goat." Last week he hosted 16-year-old Bailey Knaub and her family. Bailey suffers from sometimes-fatal Wegener's granulomatosis. "It was the best day of my life," she emailed. "It was a bright star among very gloomy and difficult days. Tim Tebow gave me the greatest gift I could ever imagine. He gave me the strength for the future. I know now that I can face any obstacle placed in front of me. Tim taught me to never give up because at the end of the day, today might seem bleak but it can't rain forever and tomorrow is a new day, with new promises." "This whole thing makes no football sense, of course. Most NFL players hardly talk to teammatesbefore a game, much less visit with the sick and dying.

Isn't that a huge distraction?

"Just the opposite," Tebow says. "It's by far the best thing I do to get myself ready. Here you are, about to play a game that the world says is the most important thing in the world. Win and they praise you. Lose and they crush you. And here I have a chance to talk to the coolest, most courageous people. It puts it all into perspective. The game doesn't really matter. I mean, I'll give 100 percent of my heart to win it, but in the end, the thing I most want to do is not win championships or make a lot of money, it's to invest in people's lives, to make a difference."" (http://espn.go.com/espn/story/_/id/7455943/believing-tim-tebow) You can read more about Tim's visit's with hurting people in this article: http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/story/2012-01-11/tebow-exclusive/52518122/1
I applaud this man of God. He truly, genuinely lives his faith. I don't care if he becomes the greatest football player that ever lived, or a washed up has-been. Either way, he's already won something far greater than any Super Bowl trophy.

 The last thing Jesus said before he ascended into heaven is recorded in Mark 16:15 as "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation." Tebow is following his Master's command. He's doing what every Christian should, he's living his life so that other's will see Christ through him.

Tim's not under attack cause of his football skills. He's under attack for living his faith, openly and honestly, as all Christians should. People are trying to tell him to quit demonstrating his faith so publicly. I think Tim would relate to the events of Acts 5:27-39.

Acts 5:27 The apostles were brought in and made to appear before the Sanhedrin to be questioned by the high priest.28 "We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name," he said. "Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man's blood."
29 Peter and the other apostles replied: "We must obey God rather than human beings!30 The God of our ancestors raised Jesus from the dead—whom you killed by hanging him on a cross.31 God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might bring Israel to repentance and forgive their sins.32 We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him."33 When they heard this, they were furious and wanted to put them to death.34 But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, who was honored by all the people, stood up in the Sanhedrin and ordered that the men be put outside for a little while.35 Then he addressed the Sanhedrin: "Men of Israel, consider carefully what you intend to do to these men.36 Some time ago Theudas appeared, claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men rallied to him. He was killed, all his followers were dispersed, and it all came to nothing.37 After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and led a band of people in revolt. He too was killed, and all his followers were scattered.38 Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail.39 But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God."

1 comment:

tom sheepandgoats said...

Tim Tebow bugs me....

Many are bugged by the incongruous picture it presents of God.

Can it really honor God to be portrayed as someone who (apparently) ignores terrorism, injustice, depravity, mayhem worldwide, but never misses a game, eagerly tweaking for both winners and losers?