What do we think of Tebow?

As perhaps the second biggest subplot of the 2011 NFL season (next to “Will Green Bay go undefeated?”), the Tebow legend has come to an end (for now) with Denver’s wipeout in New England. During Denver’s winning streak, since he became the starter, he became more noted and photographed or videoed in his prayer position, down on one knee holding his chin with one hand, and this came to be called “Tebowing.” While Tebow overtly give his thanks to Jesus, he has also said he does not think Jesus intervenes and gives his team a win; he just wants to thank the Lord for allowing him to use an ability he has been given—or allowed to have; I’m not sure I have heard his exact choice of words- to be successful, which leads to more opportunities to accomplish more things.

But quite expectedly, while many people admire him for what he has done and the faith he wears so visibly, many also mock or condemn, or both, his quarterbacking or his shows of faith, or both. The social media has sprung up “I Hate Tim Tebow” pages and similar titles, with posters saying “Jesus lost on Saturday” and such things. It seems he has made himself one whom no one views objectively; on the brink of such a position of: if you like his shows of faith, you like his quarterbacking; if you can’t stand his shows of faith, he’s a terrible quarterback. It may not be really that simple, but the nonobjectivity angle is valid. Does he harm or help the cause of Christ? Is he, or can he be, a great NFL quarterback? How do those 2 topics mesh? Can he avoid the temptations that come with such celebrity recognition and people "throwing themselves" at him?

So, which of these poll statements regarding the situation do you agree with?

 

No one (so far) has answered that he's too likely to be setting himself up for a fall, but I don't think he can go too many years without something like that happening. That's the trouble regarding Christian celebrities. It may or may be more likely to happen with those involved in a more overtly Christian facet of public visibility [e.g., Amy Grant, Sandi Patty], but he is, and will continue to be, watched like a prime suspect. We don't know if the admiration, the hatred, or the press invading his every move is more likely to weaken his staunchness.

If there is a better example, it may be Tom Landry. Granted, Landry said he did not become a true Christian until his final year of coaching in New York, by which he was already 3 years from having been a player. Before then, he was just a 'straight man' who didn't curse, was never even suspected of being unfaithful to his wife, played hard and honest, and as a coach demanded the dedication and preparation from players that he did of himself. But then he saw God's leading in the opportunity to be the head coach of a new expansion team based in his off-season home, got involved in the new Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and saw his growing fame as means to a greater purpose than football. But in all this, he did not kneel in prayer on the field and insert gospel items into his press conferences. And in his autobiography he said it is problematic for him to see players take a knee after scoring a touchdown (this has been around a long time). It seems easier to believe Landry, then, when he said God doens't play favorites among teams in athletic competition; that his position is just that whatever a person does, he/she should give it full effort, and it could be a means of spreading the Word. And because of this approach, while his team, the Dallas Cowboys, were a very derided team among rabid fans of their opponents, Landry himself was spared the kind of hate and super-scrutiny that Tebow has garnered. When he was fired after 29 years, he got many letters of sympathy from admitted Cowboy haters, letting him that they always respected him and his hard work and steadfastness and high morals.

With Tebow, we'll see. It could take years, but if he has created an image of a Christian that is impossible to live up to in such a high-profile position, he will be seen to have let a lot of people down-- in which many others will take a wicked delight.