Tebowmania
In a way, it's surprising that people are making such a big deal about Tim Tebow's faith in Jesus Christ. It shouldn't be that unusual for people who believe in Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord, to express that faith and gratitude to Him, wherever and whenever they recognize the grace of God in their lives.
Unfortunately, freedom of religion has been turned into freedom from religion, especially if your religion is the Christian faith. Those who believe in the God of the Bible have been "encouraged" to keep what they believe to themselves, not to "force" their faith on others. But if the marketplace of ideas ignores the ideas about faith, it ignores the most important issues that people in our world face. So Tim Tebow is breaking the "norm" by unashamedly expressing love and appreciation for God, which from all aspects, appears to be natural and heartfelt for him, just as the Bible he believes teaches him to do. He is not trying to force others to be that way, but he's the "bad guy" for expressing his faith. I personally think Tim Tebow is the "bad guy" to so many people because his expression of his faith shines a light on them, revealing that their belief in God may just be a facade.
Tim Tebow is a good role model. How many sports figures do you hear about in the news as good role models? It seems like too many of them are noted for their arrest records, drugs, gambling, drunk driving, abusive behavior, even murder. I think most parents would rather have their sons and daughters "Tebowing" than doing drugs and getting drunk. It's refreshing to have a good role model before us, and it's a shame to see people trying to tear him down, just because they are jealous.
Tim Tebow doesn't say that he wins games because of his faith in Christ. If that were the case, was he not a Christian when games were lost? Of course not! Although some people believe in God only when things go well, win or lose, Tim Tebow's faith remains strong, whether his team wins or loses. That should be an encouragement for all of us.
Pastor Clay Austin