A few hours before the Broncos’ game against the Pats, my mother posted about Tim Tebow being a “true hero” on Facebook. With typical cynicism, I sniped in a comment: “It’s only because he’s religious!” Tebow’s Christian devotion has nearly eclipsed his success on the field. It’s like that scene at the end of The Devil’s Advocate: a lawyer with the crisis of conscience? A 24-year-old pro-football player saving himself for marriage? Suddenly, moral character becomes the hottest story of the year.
I watched the game—my first non-Superbowl venture ever—and watched Denver get handily “Bradyed.” This morning, I Googled Tebow’s reaction to the loss and came across his Christian testimony. Listening to his unwavering faith in something greater than himself brought me to tears. I think about faith a lot—just where on the inside does it come from? How do you get it if you don’t easily have it? Wouldn’t it be wonderful if confidence could be administered through a needle like a vaccine, a negativity-resistant salve against the world’s harshness?
Tebow’s answer is having faith in something bigger. My answer has been less easily defined. My friends who are agnostics or atheists attest to a humanistic moral framework. But I have trouble listening to something created from fallible human thought. Though raised in a Ukrainian Catholic church, God has never spoken to me from a pew. The closest I came to really knowing God was through a Revival meeting my freshman year of college. While I didn’t agree with some of my Christian friends’ conservative moral beliefs, I respected their passion, and felt God more strongly than I have since.
God doesn’t speak to me from a piece of scripture, but from people like Tim Tebow. Through his authentic warmth, kindness and humility, I see the person I want to be more consistently. And I commit myself to seeking strength in a force greater than mine.
5 comments:
"But I have trouble listening to something created from fallible human thought"
"Through his authentic warmth, kindness and humility"
So you have trouble listening to ideas from fallible humans, but a fallible humans actions point you towards faith? Not really getting the logic in that ;)
I mock the guy a bit because he's a lil too out there with his religion, but he seems a nice guy trying to do what's right. Of course he's anti-abortion and I'm guessing he's not a big fan of Atheists and gays, but eh. No one's perfect ;)
Hi J. ;) Touche! Well, there goes my whole blog. Ha!
...But I suppose my point is that I believe his warmth, kindness etc. DOES come from his faith, which is rooted in something (logically) intangible. I don't regularly read scripture, but I've always "felt" God. Totally again illogical, I know, which is why I don't attempt to use science or logic to explain faith, which, for me, is intuitive.
Very nicely said Larissa. I ponder faith myself quite often. I don't know the answer (or answers). I sometimes wish I did, but those who think they absolutely know the answer (or answers) often scare me. I think Tebow is a fine man and a very good rookie quarterback. But, faith or no faith, he was no match for the Patriots.
I am late to this post, but wanted to comment.
First of all, thanks for your post - I think it is always interesting to see how people regard Tebow. Matters of faith are so contentious in our times, one never knows.
Now as a person of faith who is active in organized religion, I find Tebow a bit much. (I am a practicing Catholic who left the corporate world when I moved to Albany and ended up working for the church! Also, I am studying theology now in grad school.)
In any case, I was moved by your piece, because it reminded me to not regard Tebow as I have, but instead to regard the talk about him in that way. You reminded me that he does seem to be pretty - to use your words, warm, kind and humble.
Faith is a funny thing. I once read that it must be "caught not taught" and I believe that to be true. I am always more interested in the questions than the answers, that is how my faith lives most vibrantly.
Many people of faith come from this certitude... Not me. Make no mistake, I feel certain about God, but I'm not here to tell others what to do. As I said, I deal in questions.
BTW, God has never spoken to me in the pew too much either!
In any case, thanks for your candor!
Hi Fran. I love what you said about faith being caught, not taught, and agree wholly. I'm happy to know my post made you regard Tebow a little bit differently. He really does inspire me through his unabashed faith in something bigger.
And because he seems to have the capacity for a deeper joy, I don't think he's the type to preach about abortion, atheism, gays or other "issues" of the day. He simply seems like a warm, happy person in touch with God.
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