Since I was little, I was taught that we did not like the Florida Gators, and it is a banner I still carry to this day. Tebow was the guy throwing their touchdowns, causing his team to be ranked over mine, and winning the Heisman trophy over Arkansas' Darren McFadden. Therefore he was to be disliked.
Lately, Tebow has been in the news — less for his performance as quarterback for the Denver Broncos and more for his outspokenness regarding his faith. Most are speaking out against his displays of faith on the field, mocking him and ridiculing him for his beliefs.
It's made me reassess my former opinions of number 15, realizing they were incredibly petty in the first place. Tebow is an incredibly genuine person, in my opinion. He doesn't point his finger to the sky in feigned gratitude on Sunday only to get pulled over for a DUI on Tuesday. When he was at the University of Florida, he took his coach, Urban Meyer, and his family on a mission trip with him, an event Meyer notes as a life-changing event for his family.
With Tebow at the helm, the Broncos have be on an inexplicable winning streak, causing his critics to turn up the volume. In our Sunday morning class yesterday, someone noted that it's not because Tebow has been setting throwing records or making incredible plays. I'm not saying that, if Jesus is on your side that you will suddenly be Super Bowl bound, but I think it has given him another avenue to show Christ. He never takes the credit for himself. He's always giving praise to his team, for their skills and persistence, not show-boating like a lot of big name quarterbacks.
This quote from Tebow when faced with the voice of his critics — one of his own teammates — is one of the things I want to work on in my life.
That's an incredible attitude to have, one we should strive to have in our daily lives. Are we telling Christ we love him as much as we should? Are we giving him the glory in good times and in bad? Look for opportunities to shout out your love for Christ this week.
