Tebow

I really am not the type of person to jump on the bandwagon.  I am usually bothered by it.  I am definitely not a person that jumps on the Christian bandwagon.  Generally, to a fault, I will do the opposite in spite of the Christian majority.  I am not saying this is right or a good thing.  This is just my typical response.  Maybe it has to do with me bucking my conservative upbringing or what I see as a lack of theological thought in American Christianity today.

Lately; however, I have found myself rooting for Tebow.  Honestly, it has nothing to do with him being a Christian.  It has more to do with him as a player.  From the beginning of his career as a pro football player everyone has expected him to fail.  He isn’t a great quarterback, I will admit that, but he is a good football player.  As unorthodox as he is, he finds a way to get it done and leaves his naysayers speechless.   For this reason I have found myself enjoying seeing the Broncos win.

One of my favorite authors and bloggers, John Mark Hicks recently posted his thoughts on the Christian-Tebow mania!  In his post he brings up a great point. He says, “God gifts many people with success who do not have a Christian bone in their body.”  Tim Tebow is successful because he is an amazing athlete (and Denver has a pretty good defense) not because God favors him.  I watched him crush opponents in college and lead Florida to two national championships.  I might be wrong but I don’t recall anyone bringing up God as the reason for his success in college.  Can I say for sure that his success isn’t due to God?  No.  Honestly, I believe God has a hand in everything, I just don’t know what or how.

When I was a kid I used to idolize famous Christians.  I would look at them as great Christian examples and models for our country.  Then something would happen, a story would come out, and they were dethroned from the pedestal I had them on.  At a young age I remember being bothered by famous people giving God a “shout out” from the award podium or a local business using their “Christian-ness” to sell product.  In Georgia, political commercials often show politicians sitting in pews showing off their faith to win votes.

Jesus was bothered more by the pretentiousness of the Pharisees and the religious teachers than anyone else.  When Jesus was preaching his Sermon on the Mount he told the people,

“And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. (Matthew 6:5-6)

There is a great temptation to be seen as righteous.  Jesus knew this so he went off to lonely places to pray.  He tells us to pray in secret.  I think that we can discern that Jesus isn’t limiting “showing off your righteousness” to just prayer.  A famous person is “seen” (more than the average person) by people.  Therefore, the temptation to use righteousness for gain is on a greater scale.  Honestly, when I see this happen I think to myself, “you have received your reward.”  If the politician uses God to get his vote, the vote is his reward.  If the band/singer uses God to sell records, record sales are their reward.

Tebow is in the limelight right now.  I am not even sure if he has crossed the “righteousness to be seen” line; honestly, he only knows that.  However, Christian’s aren’t making it easy for him by equating his success with his righteousness.  So, my problem with jumping on the Christian-Tebow bandwagon has more to do with how others outside of Christendom see it.  Is his outspokenness helping bring people to Christ or is it turning people off?  (I realize this last sentence I wrote could be a whole other blog post and probably deserves more attention.)  I personally have no problem viewing Tim Tebow as a Christian brother in Christ, but no more so than I view a fellow member of my congregation a brother in Christ.

I am done making famous Christians idols, praising them for their accomplishments or their Christian outspokenness.  Maybe I am calloused and a bit cynical.  I believe part of my reservation is the  realization of my own sinfulness and humanity.  When I place a famous Christian on a pedestal, any sin or fault that they commit ruins my perspective of them.  They become sinful and dirty…in need of God just like me.  On second thought, maybe that is exactly what needs to happen.