Tim Tebow is America’s most famous unemployed athlete. Since his release from the New York Jets, the Heisman Trophy winner has been without a team. What are his plans?
Last week, during a speech at Lake Michigan College, the quarterback told the crowd how he sees his future: “What I want to do with my life is impacting lives. When a kid in a hospital is fighting for his life and I’m trying to win a football game, what really matters? This game isn’t as important as a lot of us make it out to be. If I can give him a little bit of hope, I can do something that matters. That’s what I want my legacy to be about. That’s how I want to be remembered.”
He is already getting his wish. A survey published by Forbes magazine recently named him America’s most influential athlete. Forbes explains Tebow’s significance: “His clean living and public religious values make him a role model for many, even if they render him polarizing in some quarters.”
Tebow commented on the survey: “That’s a huge honor. I see it as a great responsibility to be a role model for future generations. That’s something I care about more than winning football games. If I can take the game of football and can transcend football—go to hospitals and make kids smile—I’ll be doing things that matter.”
What is the “game of football” for you? What is your Kingdom assignment?
This is just one of many significant faith issues posed by the news of recent days. The Kermit Gosnell trial raises questions about God’s love and power in the face of innocent suffering, as do the kidnappings in Cleveland and the Boston bombings. Stem cells pulled from cloned human embryos raise enormous moral and theological issues. Ongoing tensions marked Israel’s 65th anniversary this week.
How should we handle faith questions? First, expect them. If Jesus could cry from the cross, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46), we can expect to have questions about and for God. Second, take them to the Lord. A man asked Jesus to “help me overcome my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24); you and I can pray the same today. He will help us find answers through his word, his worship, and his work in the world.
Whatever questions you’re asking this morning, know that your Father is not threatened by them. Rather, he welcomes your honesty as you seek to love him “with all your mind” (Matthew 22:37). Tim Tebow is right: “I don’t know what the future holds but at the end of the day I know who holds my future.”
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