A Buckeye Fan Cheering & Praying For Tim Tebow

Last week on ESPN, there were several discussions about the popularity of Florida’s Sr QB Tim Tebow. Having close ties to the Ohio State Buckeyes has not discouraged me from also cheering loud and clear for this young man who passed on the NFL draft to play a fourth year of college football. Tim has given many reasons for wanting to play at Florida another year but my favorite reason of all is that he believes that this will give him the greatest stage to share his faith and to be a witness to others. He unashamedly is open about his faith without being preachy. He goes to prisons, hospital, schools, and anywhere he feels he can make a difference for Jesus Christ.

Some callers to sports radio and on various blog sites are attacking Tim because they want him to fail as he appears in their eyes to be too good to be true. Yea, we all know that no one is perfect and we are sure that Tim has some areas of his life that he is working on as well, but isn’t it ironic that people will attack in the most vicious and destructive ways when Christians try to be a witness by being salt and light to their world? This pattern of discrimination against believers is not confined to just athletes of course, but because they are in the public eye, they bring more scrutiny by all the people around them.

Many of you have children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and close family friends with kids heading back to a new school year in the next few weeks. Those kids are facing the toughest environment ever for spiritual warfare against their faith and their beliefs. It is time to gear up your prayers for them every bit as much as for Tim and all the athletes who claim the name of Christ! As believers, we know that there will be failures but even more important to lift them back up and encourage them to get back in the battle again! They need your prayers and encouragement to not get discouraged when the attacks come. Prepare them and teach them how Jesus handled situations just like the ones they will face.

Matthew 5:11-12 (NIV) “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.” This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission.

Monday Morning Message Sent 8/3/09

Back to List of Archived Messages