Tim Tebow's faith and persecution

"Tebowing" has replaced praying in today's pop culture?

So much has been said and written about Tim Tebow in the past several months that I wanted to weigh in with some thoughts.  In Denver he has been called the Mile High Messiah for turning around a team that started the season 1-4 and leading the Broncos to several improbable come from behind wins, a playoff berth, and last weekend's upset over the heavily favored Steelers.  I watched that game (on my birthday) with great interest and I was very happy with the outcome.  Of course many in the media have questioned Tim Tebow's unorthodox QB skills, and at the center of his rise in stardom is his outward expression of his faith.      

When asked to defend why he is so open in expressing his faith, I like how Tim responded:  "If you're married and you have a wife, and you really love your wife, is it good enough to only say to your wife 'I love her' the day you get married?  Or should you tell her every single day when you wake up and every opportunity?  That's how I feel about my relationship with Jesus Christ is that it is the most important thing in my life."  


Furthermore, Jesus tells his disciples (and all followers of Christ) to "let your light shine before me, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven" (Matthew 5:16).  Critics of Tebow have taken a stance in the media suggesting he should tone it down, and others are just waiting to pounce on him when he fails.  Why is our culture so prone to do this?  Well, the Bible tells us that we will face persecution for our faith. 


In my current study of Acts, chapter 12 begins with the persecution of 2 disciples -- James is killed and Peter imprisoned for their faith.  In fact, we learn that all 12 of Jesus' disciples were martyred for their faith (John was actually exiled to the island of Patmos and died alone).  The early church faced violent opposition to the Gospel, and today, a quick google search reveals that approximately 100 million people around the world are suffering because of persecution as a result of their faith in Jesus.  Of the 196 countries in the world, it is believed that half of these countries actively persecute Christians in one way or another, and in about 50 of these countries it is really bad, namely in North Korea, the Philippines and many Muslim countries.  So in this context, I'm thankful I live in country where we - and Tim Tebow - are merely ridiculed for our faith and not killed or denied fundamental human rights.  


Tonight I will be rooting for Tim Tebow and Broncos to pull off the upset of the Patriots who are favored by 2 touchdowns.  But what I hope most for is another miraculous comeback or a spectacular play by Tebow that could only be explained through his undeniable faith in Christ.  As Chris Vernon tweeted last weekend after Tebow completed an 80 yard pass to seal the overtime victory, "You are witnessing the death of atheism".