You Gotta Love Tim Tebow |
Aug 21, 2009 |
My husband, an avid sports fan, subscribes to the sports magazine, Sports Illustrated (SI). He and our 11 year old son, Brent, absolutely devour the weekly articles and photos. Somehow, they are able to revel in sports conversation for hours, day after day.
Our mainstream culture, as you know, glorifies college and professional athletes. It is ironic given that the lifestyle and off-field antics that many of these men model are woefully undeserving of attention, let alone emulation.
That’s why I was particularly uplifted to see Tim Tebow’s face on the July 27, 2009 SI cover. The cover article, titled ‘You Gotta LoveTim Tebow’ describes his athletic talent, his strong Christian values, and his right belief that the missionary and community service he does off the field to bring people to Christ is far more important than the work he does on the field as a winning quarterback.
Austin Murphy, the article’s author, writes:
“Having covered Tim for three years, I would say he’s the most effective ambassador-warrior for his faith I’ve come across in 25 years at SI.”
Tebow is a perfect illustration of a ‘living brochure’ for the cause of Christ. He visits inmates in Florida prisons – and invites his fellow teammates to get involved with him. He takes mission trips to work in Filipino slums. He convinced his coach and family to participate in a mission trip to the Dominican Republic , in place of their standard luxury vacation. (Yes, they loved the experience, by the way.)
He has experienced personal transformation related to the cause of Christ. Now he subtly disciples his teammates by giving them opportunities to serve and to experience their own transformation. According to the article, the team’s community service hours have skyrocketed, thanks to Tebow’s influence.
His lifestyle and values embody and validate the cause of Christ. His actions – unusual among any college student and especially a Big-Man-On-Campus-type - command great attention from those around him.
David Nelson, Tebow’s teammate who participates with him in prison outreach says,
“He wants people to see what he believes through his actions. He wants them to say, ‘I see the way you live your life, the passion you have, the fun you have, and I want what you’ve got.”
Are you a ‘living brochure’ - like Tim Tebow- to your friends, family, and those in your wider network? If the answer is no, why not? If the answer is yes, are you discipling those around you by offering them opportunities to serve in the hope they may become another ‘living brochure” for your shared cause.
