Well, we all witnessed it. On Saturday, The New England Patriots humbled Tim Tebow and the Denver Broncos in the AFC Divisional playoff game, by a score of 45-10.
There was little if any upside for Tebow, as he spent most of the game on the ground or on the sidelines watching Tom Brady throw a record six touchdowns to his receivers.
Some of us watched the game as fans of football. Others of us watched the game to see Tim Tebow loose. And still others watched because sports commentators told us this was going to be the best game of all time.
In the days leading up to this game many writers predicted that the Broncos would win the game with Tebow's efforts (and his God's help). See here and here for example. There was even a Tebow-inspired John 3:16 commercial aired during the game.
And there has been enormous attention on Tebow this season, this month, this week, because he is as one sports reporter put it, "the greatest story angle of the season." He is a "gosh golly" young man, who loves the Lord openly and is humble. We like him, the sports reporters love him and other athletes like him.
And his sports reporters have not so subtly claimed that God loves Tebow too. In fact, you know what they say. That God loves Tebow so much that God helps Tebow win.
It's a good angle to sell papers and get internet hits, but dangerous for the Christian world. If we accept that God loves Tebow so much, God helps Tebow win games, it sends a curious messages for the dozens of devout Christian athletes Tebow plays against. It sends the same curious message to thousands of Christians in tight spots or with ailments who see no light at the end of the tunnel.
What I mean is if we accept that God has shown favor to Tebow for being a Christian, then what about the Christians he plays against who loose? What about the devout Christians who loose their bouts with cancer? Do they loose because they are not as Christian as Tebow or pray openly as he does or wear scripture verses under their eyes?
This humbling loss should put things into perspective for sports writers looking for the "best angle" to write about. It should illustrate that God allows the sun to shine and the rain to fall on the faithful as well as the unbeliever.
But, I predict that come next season, when the reporters are looking for an angle, this will all surface again as if we didn't bear witness to the game on Saturday.
So true. We Christians have to watch ourselves that we don't get caught up into the world's definition of "blessed" or "successful." Tebow is not our little idol, like the Ark of the Covenant, to be dragged out whenever we want a victory. Good post.
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