I’ve been watching the Tim Tebow saga over the last couple of weeks. It’s gotten a bit crazier since he went on a six game winning streak, pulling out some crazy last minute wins. It put him in the spotlight and created a social buzz about him. I mean, what’s not to like? He wins games in the fourth quarter, he’s a pretty handsome guy, he’s single (many, many ladies would gladly wear his ring, I’m sure) and he became hot for a while.
But Tebow is not without controversy. It stems, largely, from his open professions of Christian faith. There’s his signature pose: The Tebow. There’s the fact that, while at Florida, he put verse citations in the black under his eyes (the NCAA has since prohibited the practice). And, as such, when Christianity and pop culture collide you get snark. Lots of snark.
So when Tebow finally lost, it produced the typical finger pointing and laughing. As if God had somehow abandoned Tim Tebow in his hour of greatest need. I’ve known God for some time and I also know that this is how He likes to work. That Tebow’s rise and fall were all part of a larger plan. If you’re not a Christian that might not make any sense. You might think I’m being a simple fanboi who will always defend Tebow and God. But neither need me to defend them. Instead, I want to point out the larger picture.
There is one game in Tebow’s career that I consider defining and it’s not one you might pick. The game would be the 2009 SEC Championship game. If you’re not familiar with it, let’s go back to 2008. Florida had this young but brilliant sophomore quarterback (guess who) who went on this winning streak. It came to an abrupt halt against Mississippi State when a missed extra point translated into a 31-30 loss. Tebow, in tears, stood at the press conference and vowed that they would never see anyone play so hard. He did and Florida would not only win the SEC East, they would beat a precarious #1 Alabama in the SEC Championship and ultimately a national title. It even netted Tebow the Heisman, a first for a sophomore.
2009 seemed like destiny. Florida stomped everyone it met and it seemed like a repeat was in order. The SEC Championship was a rematch from 2008 and Florida was the heavy favorite. To give you an idea how tight they were, the Gator defense had only allowed one kick returned for positive yardage. Alabama was ready this time, however. They had their own Heisman contender and he showed his colors. The #1 team in the country came unglued. It was pretty much over when Tebow threw an interception into the end zone during the third quarter. I remember him sitting on the sidelines, bawling like crazy.
I saw that as a defining moment. I like to call them brick walls, where God abruptly ends a dream so He can do something else later on. It wasn’t the end of Tebow’s career. It was simply the end of what would have likely made him a legend. Had Tebow won, he likely would have had a second Heisman AND a second national championship, something unheard of in college football. Heck, they might have had to make a new trophy or rename the Heisman to the Heisman-Tebow award. Instead, he simply became plain old ordinary Tim Tebow.
So why the spectacular wins and then a loss? Well, for one thing, it’s unfair to pin everything on Tebow. Football is a team sport and not even the best quarterback in the world can make up for a blown defensive line. And Tebow isn’t perfect. I knew that his spectacular comebacks couldn’t last forever because it just required too many things to fall just right. Furthermore, if you’re a truly good QB, you don’t need spectacular comebacks because you’re never behind. But the largest reason is that it brings God glory.
Consider Psalms 19: 1-4
The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
2 Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they reveal knowledge.
3 They have no speech, they use no words;
no sound is heard from them.
4 Yet their voice goes out into all the earth,
their words to the ends of the world.
In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun.
Tim Tebow was an improbable QB. It took an injury to bring him in off the bench. Then you have the improbable wins. The spectacular fashion of those wins (it’s thrilling football and topped the highlight reel) pushed Tebow into the spotlight. Tebow never stopped being Tebow, he just got noticed for it now. And when he lost? Well, he’s still Tebow. He still prays. He still sings off key. He still hesitates some when he throws. But he has a spotlight now. And like the stars in the heavens, Tebow uses it to proclaim the majesty of God. The more people talk about him and his faith (even snarkily), the more it brings glory.
I don’t think God or Tim Tebow would have it any other way. So who was the loser here again?
