Tim Tebow goes to jail…and loves it

If you are even a casual fan of college football, you know who Tim Tebow is. If you are – pardon the shameless wordplay here – an everyday Christian, you should know who Tebow is even if you don’t know the difference between a first down and a down payment. As quarterback of the University of Florida, Tebow won the Heisman Trophy two years ago, was runner-up for the award last year and has been instrumental in leading the Gators to two national championships in the past three years. None of those, however, would Tebow almost certainly say is his greatest accomplishment. A cover story in this week’s Sports Illustrated discusses Tebow’s faith in depth, how his relationship with God is paramount in his life and how he unabashedly uses his high-profile position to proclaim it. Tim Tebow’s father, Bob, is the founder of the Bob Tebow Evangelicalistic Association. Bob Tebow has been working in the Philippines for decades spreading the Christian message and helping with social infrastructure projects. I won’t give you a blow-by-blow of the SI article, you can read it for yourself, which I would recommend. A big part of it focuses on Tebow ministering to inmates at a state penitentiary and enthusiastically looking forward to speaking to death row prisoners. Florida coach Urban Meyer also talks about being self-conscious about vacationing at luxury resorts in the off-season while his star quarterback was engaging impoverished families in Southeast Asia. Last year Meyer, inspired by Tebow’s commitment, went on a mission trip to the Dominican Republic which he said significantly changed his world view. On the gridiron, Tebow is somewhat of a hybrid between a drop-back passer and bulldozing fullback with the aggressiveness of a blitzing linebacker. He will be on an NFL roster in a year, although playing quarterback may not be a shoe-in. Off the field Tebow is living proof of A.) Making the most of the platform you’re given and B.) Unapologetically stating beliefs and why they matter. Last week I wrote about attending a seminar about sharing your faith testimony because it’s something I struggle with sometimes. Although about half may age, Tebow could already write a book about it, and more power to him.