To Tebow or Not To Tebow

I have been listening to Sports Talk radio frequently as I do every year during Patriots season. On the local sports radio/tv networks, other talk radio and nationally there is more and more talk about Tebowing or the Tebow phenomenon. Tebowing is known as the act of bowing down after a touchdown or big play praying, giving Glory to God.

Some background

For those not familiar with Tim Tebow, he is a professional football player for the Denver Broncos and a Christian. Tebow is a gifted athlete that won the Heisman trophy in 2007 as an underclassmen (An award for being voted the best Collegiate Football player given each year). Tebow is a quarterback that has starred by breaking records at every level he has played starting in high school, and college. Usually a college Heisman quarterback is drafted very, very high in the National Football League draft (NFL draft), the top 2 or 3 picks. Tim won the Heisman in his sophomore year the first player to ever be selected as an underclassmen (freshman or sophomore). Although Tim was selected in the first round (2010) it was very late in the first round (25th) for a quarterback of his accolades. The Denver Broncos used Tebow as a back up quarterback, until an injury to the starter forced the Broncos to play. Tim, since playing for the Broncos has won 7 games to one loss. All won by last minute heroics by Tebow. The one loss came after Tim came into the game for the injured starter and had a comeback that almost won that game. Tebow is usually sub optimal through most of the game and then makes a “miraculous” comeback late in the game to win.

Although I am doubtful that God cares much about the winning and losing of football games, it is a cool analogy of a man of deep faith overcoming inadequacies in strength, character, or skill. In football terms Tebow’s passing would measure up to David the Shepard boy (small and weak), but in the end he is able to quiet his detractors and slay the Giant, through his faith in the living God of Israel. God uses the weak and strengthens them for his purpose, not that Tim Tebow is weak in a physical or spiritual sense.

Is this a new phenomenon?

Now many players in the NFL are Christians, after games many players from both teams kneel at center field and pray together. But Tebowing is a phenomenon that has caused conversation both in sports and elsewhere. As an example, I had lunch with Ian and asked him about his thoughts on Tebowing, Ian had heard of it but didn’t know what it meant. In addition to kneeling to pray after big plays, Tim also in every interview, acknowledges his Savior Jesus Christ before saying anything else in the interview. The conversation usually is polarizing, one side in admiration for Tebow and his faith, while others are “turned off” by Tebow. Those who don’t understand Tim Tebow’s faith or are turned off by it make light of Tebow’s performance as Divine and God being a Bronco, the Denver Press hailing him the “Mile High Messiah”. I have heard Tebow being criticized as a hypocrite, or arrogant, some saying ”that God doesn’t choose sides in football”. To that I have only heard Tim give praise to his Savior deflecting Glory to God and teammates and off himself. If it sounds like he is boasting, maybe it is explained in 1Corinthians: 31 Therefore, as it is written “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord”. What I find fascinating is the polarization of reactions to Tebow and Tebow’s faith. A former Denver Quarterback, Jake Plummer was quoted as saying ““Tebow, regardless of whether I wish he’d just shut up after a game and go hug his teammates, I think he’s a winner and I respect that about him,” Plummer said. “I think that when he accepts the fact that we know that he loves Jesus Christ then I think I’ll like him a little better. I don’t hate him because of that, I just would rather not have to hear that every single time he takes a good snap or makes a good handoff.”

Our response

With this I am brought to 2 Corithians 2:15-16: "For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are an aroma that brings death; to the other, an aroma that brings life. And who is equal to such a task?"

As I listen to these two very diverse reactions I cannot think of anything but this passage.

My favorite team, the New England Patriots travels to play the Denver Broncos this Sunday December 18th and Tim Tebow, who came off another last minute come from behind win yesterday. I am going to be rooting wholeheartedly for the Patriots to win this football game, but I am grateful to Tebow for professing his faith so openly and boastfully in Christ and not of his own doing, giving all the Glory to his Savior. Other athletes make acknowledgements like pointing Heavenward after home runs or kneel in the end zone after touchdowns before this, much like Tebow does. But these acts have brought nowhere near the exposure to faith as Tebowing has. I heard that Tebowing is now officially a word, rivaling Obamamania in its speed to become a word, 2 months.

This weekend’s game should be fun. Go Pats. God Bless Tim Tebow. Pray for Tim Tebow to be protected, to put on his Armor of God, the enemy would love to see him fall, not on the football field but in his faith while on this very visible stage.