Don't Hate Me Because I Love the Patriots!

Don’t get me wrong. I’m on the Tebow bandwagon as much as the next person, at least in terms of the Bronco quarterback’s strong Christian testimony, on-and-off the football field. While a lot of Christians belly-ached because Tebow and the Denver Broncos fell to Tom Brady and the New England Patriots on Sunday, I’d venture to say Tim would be the first to tell you it’s only a game and to get over it. He knows going into every game that one quarterback will emerge the winner, one the loser. Sure, it’s his livelihood, his paycheck, but it’s not his life. He’s living his faith, and doing it in a public arena.

The old cliché, “it’s not whether you win or lose, but how you play the game,” is alive and well. Following his victory, Tom Brady met Tim on the field and gave him a word of encouragement. Likewise, the Patriots coach embraced Tim. That’s sportsmanship in the truest sense of the word. As far as the headline proclaiming Tim has run out of miracles, that’s hogwash, only a headline capitalizing on the events of the past few weeks where “Tebowing” has become a known posture of prayer around the globe. Students who emulated Tim and got in trouble were advised by the quarterback to follow the rules. He knows that’s how you play the “game.” I pray this young man keeps his head on straight in the midst of all the media hoopla surrounding him. The son of American parents who served as Baptist missionaries in the Philippines, Tim's mother was advised to have an abortion because her child would most likely be stillborn. She defied the odds, and the doctors, thank the Lord! The youngest of five homeschooled chidren, Tim seems solid and grounded. I think he’ll be just fine.

I’m on deadline and it’s crunch time, so I’m going to make this shockingly brief. I’d like to propose a question to you: Are you a “team” player? We’re all on a team, if you will, and our goal, like Tim Tebow and Tom Brady, is to “win.” If you think you’re an island, think again. We need each other for encouragement and support, and the surest way to break down a team is one-by-one, honing in and exploiting the weaknesses of another player. Encourage one another, pray for one another. Love one another, and not only during this most joyous season. Live your faith, through your words and through the life you lead. You never know the impact you might have on someone else, and the impact they might have on you. Blessings at Christmas, my friends. John 13:34