Articles
The Lesson of Tim Tebow
As a UT fan, it’s not allowed to like Tim Tebow. Sure he’s a good guy but he’s also a Gator. Well… that may have to change. The media is buzzing this week about the supposed break-up between Tim and former Miss Universe, Olivia Culpo. Apparently, the two month relationship ended because Tebow was adamant about keeping his vow to remain a virgin until marriage. Sources say that Culpo just couldn’t handle that idea.
Whether or not the story is true (Culpo’s side is starting to deny the two ever dated), it is sad that it is even believable. And yet, it is believable. Sex and sensuality has been pushed in American culture for so long that every part of this story is believable. Well almost… The reality is that if you surveyed 100 Americans the part of this story they would not believe is that Tebow has maintained his sexual purity. Perhaps that is the saddest indication of how depraved society has become.
Paul wrote the following to Timothy:
“But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth.” —2 Timothy 3:1–7
Look through that list of unwanted qualities and consider how many are represented in this latest story:
- Lovers of self
- Unholy
- Without self-control
- Not loving good
- Reckless
- Lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God
Paul says that this kind of behavior “creeps into households” and leads people “astray by various passions” (v. 6). There is no doubt that this pattern of behavior shown through entertainment, the media, and just as a general practice in today’s culture has been effective at doing that. It has crept into households all across this nation and convinced people that these passions are not only acceptable but they are also completely normal.
Most people today just accept promiscuity as a normal accepted behavior. Perhaps the greatest lesson here is being comfortable with being different. Tim Tebow doesn’t care what society thinks. He’s comfortable being different. He doesn’t mind looking odd or weird. Tim Tebow is a Heisman Trophy winner. He won eleven other post-season collegiate awards. He won two national championships at Florida. He’s won a NFL playoff game and played with four teams. He has a successful career as a commentator on the SEC Network. And yet today Tim Tebow is best known for maintaining his sexual purity.
Paul told the Roman brethren, “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:1–2). Just because everyone else believes that sexuality and sensuality are a normal and acceptable part of life does not mean that Christians should. Christians should not conform—they should be transformed. They shouldn’t be like the world. They should be completely different from the world. They should be changed. You and I should be different.
You can be known for some pretty amazing things in life. But you can be known for even greater things if you live for God. Live your life so that you are known for the great things in life. “You are the light of the world” (Matthew 5:14).
