Jan 14 2009
If you don’t like something make fun of it or start rumors…
I’m a huge college football fan and love the University of Alabama. So I’m not a fan of the University of Florida or any other team for that matter. But I have been impressed with the football player Tim Tebow. Not only is he one of the best college football players that I’ve ever seen but he is one of the finest young men I’ve ever seen. He is a devout follower of Jesus Christ and an intense competitor. I’m saying this when the guy almost single handily tore my Crimson Tide heart in the 4th quarter of the SEC Championship game last month.
There have been many stories about Tim’s faith, his mission work and his outspoken beliefs in the media. But all of a sudden these have become targets for those who don’t like what Tim Tebow stands for. There are people in the media looking for some “smoking gun.” They are looking for some slip up and can’t believe that he is for real.
I’ve said before that I enjoy listening to Sports Talk Radio. Birmingham has some good shows on JOX. Much better than larger cities like Atlanta and Charlotte. One talk show host who gets a lot of attention is Paul Finebaum. Paul has been an institution in the Birmingham market since I was in high school. Paul makes every fan mad occasionally but for the most part he is an equal opportunity ripper. When Bama was struggling during the Shula years he ripped Bama. This past year he has been all over Auburn and LSU. (BTW, he is a Tennessee graduate.) He is like a shark that sees blood. But “usually” he is fair.
Last week he had lawyer that is on the show fairly regularly. This lawyer said he thought Tim Tebow was a great player but he was sick of him. Not as a player but as a Christian. That topic became so hot that it carried over to all of the shows on JOX this week. The conversation got out of hand in my opinion. In a world of Pac-Man Jones, Roger Clemmons, Pete Rose, OJ Simpson, TO, etc….. you would think the media would love a young man who practiced what he preached.
But what I’ve found is when people don’t understand something they make fun of them or their beliefs and start rumors. The calls and commentary about Tim Tebow started making fun of Tebows beliefs and the fact that he is a “VIRGIN.” Many of the Radio Show hosts except for Jay Barker and Al Del Greco (one went to Bama and the other Auburn) were making innuendos that Tim Tebow didn’t like women. They mocked his faith and called him a fake.
So is this what the world has come to? If a person lives a blameless life they are going to be called fake? If you remain a virgin until you get married, are you going to be accused of being a homosexual? I waited until I got married and am happy that there is a young man like Tim Tebow. I’m appalled that a young man can’t live his faith out without dirty old men who are under conviction for their own sorry lives ripping him apart. If the shock jocks and media don’t like Tebow wearing John 3:16 on his eyes or saying “Praise God” for his efforts what do you want him to do? Do you want him to say, “I want to give myself all of the credit because I worked hard and I’m the best?” What is wrong with giving God credit for your talent? What is wrong with living a pure life?
I know what is wrong– seeing someone like Tim Tebow reminds people who are away from God how sinful their lives are. He doesn’t point fingers at you but his good deeds rub some people wrong because they have no self control on their own.
What do you think?
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AMEN…Finally someone tells it like it is and exposes the media and their “fatigue” with the talk of and life of Tim Tebow. Mostly it’s the need to create news no matter what. Even if it’s good news, the media will find something to bust them about. Either it’s too good to be true or not good enough!
I may be biased, I am a Christian and a Gator alumna, but I know about the media, I’ve been working as a broadcaster for over 16 years. Instead, we should all show appreciation for the enthusiastic athlete, excellent student, humanitarian and genuine human being that truly is Tim Tebow.
I hope more students, athletes, men and people in general are turned on to Tebow than turned off by his example, we could use more of it.
God Bless and Go GATORS!
I think that expecting lost people to act any way other than lost … including all those characteristics that God says flow from the wicked heart … and this is certainly that … is like expecting a dog to act like a human being.
Especially around a cat.
Bob Cleveland’s last blog post..Gooodbye, Brother. I’ll See You Later
Matthew 5:11-12 “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Neil’s last blog post..Putting God in a box?
Kevin, excellent post. Apparently the media feels threatened by Teebow … and especially by who Teebow represents.
Lacking any evidence of fault to support their bias, they’re left to mock, ridicule and squirm. It’s not funny, it’s not edgy, it’s not illuminating or enlightening; it’s hate speech. And you can be sure we wouldn’t hear a peep if Teebow’s name had been Teejhan and he were a Hindu, Buddhist or a Muslim.
-joe d.’s last blog post.."Help" note leads to police shooting
Just more proof that Jesus knew what he was talking about.
They’re actually complimenting Tebow.
And they’re unwittingly spreading the Christian message to folks who will never listen to a preacher.
Funny how God uses absolute idiots to do his work, isn’t it.
“What they meant for evil, I meant for good.”
Bernard Shuford’s last blog post..Potential
Anybody but Florida, by the way.
But I really like how their prowess has brought the name of Christ to the forefront yet again.
Bernard Shuford’s last blog post..Potential
Had a wonderful time Sunday preaching on “Tebo Spirituality,” however I must admit with Kevin, I am still an AL fan. Anyway I preached on the Person, Passion, People, Price and Provision, Plan, and Purpose of the Gospel right out of 316 and exhorted everyone to turn the discussion of the “right” or “responsibility” of Tebo in the media blitz into a discussion of “have you experienced the POWER of the gospel in your life? I hope the congreagation will share Jesus when it comes up.
Excellent post.
I wonder how many people listening to that show just got introduced to Christ because of their knocks on Tebow.
Michael’s last blog post..Life Driven By Prayer
The very best pastor I ever had once said, “The righteous man is a walking rebuke to the unrighteous, without ever opening his mouth.”
Phil Hoover’s last blog post..Who is the Holy Spirit?
The devil is all around Tebow right now seeking to rip him to shreds for his sins. What is wrong with giving God credit for your talent? What is wrong with living a pure life? Nothing. I am not going to be critical of Tim Tebow because he’s a brother…. and well….he plays in the SEC. (laff) He has an amazing gift, and in Proverbs, it says ‘If you see a man who excels in his work, He will stand before kings, and not before unknown men.’ A certain amount of “fame” is to be expected. Yet everytime I hear of a story like this, where there is a Christian who so boldly proclaims their faith in the public arena, and everything gets put under a microscope, I am reminded of this verse.
Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life,… 1 Thessalonians 4:11
I certainly do not envy Tebo. We need to pray for him today.
Lord hold him up by your righteous right hand. A-men
In Christ
Andrew
Kevin, The problem here is probably Paul Finebaum. He is an equal opportunity offender but he doesn’t know where the line is and when he’s stepped over it. I had to hold myself back from driving to his studio one day close to two years ago when he was denigrating the administrative assistant of a certain pastor in the Bham area. (Kevin, if you put the timing together, you know who I’m talking about.)
I can’t stand the guy after that and refuse to listen to his show. Others on JOX are okay and a couple on their sister AM station are okay but if I hear PF, I automatically turn the channel or hit the CD button.
That being said, I think it’s incredibly sad that Tebow is being insulted but hey, at least he’s in good company…Jesus, Paul, etc.
Angie’s last blog post..Wrong on So Many Levels
I am amazed. With recent scandals in the sports world from cheating, doping, steriods, and off-field behaviors, you think these guys would be thankful to have someone who lives the Christian life and is real.
Sadly, I have heard this discrimination towards Christians on the local sports talk radio shows here.
Quinn Hooks’s last blog post..Darth Vader Starts A Church
Not to mention all the “Christians” who are criticizing Tebow for wearing John 3:16 on his face… How sad…
IMO – no one likes to be around folks that wear their religion on their sleeve. I’m a firm believer that if you’re a Christian, it shows. You shouldn’t have to “announce” it.
Mrs O,
How do you view Matthew 28;18-20?
Angie,
He is back @ it today. BTW, I had coffee w/ one of your former pastors on Monday.
Whoa Kevin… kinda being aggressive with Mrs. O aren’t you? I see the blog is titled confessions of a RECOVERING Pharisee for good reason. I am one too.
I am Evangelical. I love to share Jesus. I believe the whole bible is replete with references of God’s Evangelistic heart for the nations. Yes in English, the bible seems to be stating “GO YE!” Yet from my understanding, Go Ye…, would have probably been better translated, “As you go…”
I know the bridge is out story and how we ought to love and tell others of the love of Christ before they end up crashing into eternity. I get all of that. But there are many admonitions in the bible to, “Not stand in the way of sinners.” To live a quiet life, and be ready to give to every man an ANSWER of the hope that lies within. Also, not to offend anyone because I am not calling unsaved people pigs, but we are also to not to ‘Cast our pearls before swine.’ That implies be careful who we set the message of Christ before. Our actions probably ought not to be delivered with a heavy and aggressive approach. Like the DCTalk song, What if I stumble, I fear for Tim Tebow that when he eventually stumbles into sin, it’s going to be devastating for him and many more.
I was listening to Jay Sekulow Live at lunch and while I think he does a lot of good, I couldn’t help but feel, you know, ashamed. He was being argumentative and aggressive and I don’t know anyone who has been converted by the accuracy of our theology, our being aggressive to claim our rights, or the rightness of our arguments. Mrs. O has a point. Evangelicals in our fervor for the gospel are far too often offensive. We’ve been stereotyped as beligerant and condemning, why?
Well, Because we have been.
How wonderful it would be if we didn’t have to announce it. The Fruit of the Spirit work within us, pouring out of us should be so attractive to those who are hungering and thirsting for righteousness, that hardly a word should need to be spoken.
I hear the Father speaking like a daddy to his little kids, “Use your inside voice.”
In Christ
Andrew
Kevin, That’s why I ignore him. I’m actually sad for him that he spends his life so bitter and so many people dislike him.
I feel sorry for Tebow; he can’t win. Kind of like Rick Warren. I don’t see Tebow as someone who is screaming his Christianity from the mountaintops. He is someone who talks about his past (as an MK) and his summer mission trips. When people ask him what he did this summer, is he supposed to lie? That may sound extreme but I don’t think he’s wearing his faith on his sleeve, I think he’s living his faith in an environment that chews people up and spits them out with regularity. The media is as much to blame for his publicity as he is. I don’t remember him yelling “repent or burn in hell” to opposing teams or fans. To me, that would be embarrassing and offensive. Tebow is a role model and if I’m blessed to have a son one day, I hope he acts like Tebow has so far in public.
Angie’s last blog post..Wrong on So Many Levels
Mrs. O,
It seems that you are a proponent of what is known as the “silent” witness. Unfortunately, this “silent” witness is not biblical. A silent witness is not a witness.
Also, what was so wrong with him having John 3:16 in grease paint?
Quinn Hooks’s last blog post..Darth Vader Starts A Church
I didn’t say anything about a “silent witness.” I work in the public. I’ve seen lots of people who TALK about their Christianity and ACT like they’ve never been near a Bible or a church building. I’m just saying when you HAVE to tell people you’re a Christian, something is wrong.
Haven’t we all seen people who talk one way, and act another?
I did. I still do if I am not careful.
Thank You Mrs. Osipov.
If we, as believers, live our lives with Christ in control, with the Holy Spirit guiding and empowering us, people will notice the difference and ask questions.
I Peter 3:15 says to be ready to give an answer to every man who asks the reason for the hope that we have and to do this with gentleness and respect……. If no one is asking, then they are not seeing anything that makes them notice to ask questions.
Our first mission as believers is to live under the empowerment of the Lord. “By this will all men know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” If we do that we will have many opportunities to share our faith because people will be asking us all kind of questions about our faith.
Frank