Tim Tebow’s motive to motivate

{source}<iframe style=”float: left; border: 1px solid #000000; background-color: #C0C0C0; padding: 2px; margin: 10px; -moz-border-radius: 3px; -khtml-border-radius: 3px; -webkit-border-radius: 3px; border-radius: 3px;” width=”400″ height=”225″ src=”http://abcnews.go.com/video/embed?id=25508277″ frameborder=”0″ scrolling=’no’></iframe>{/source}Before we get to Tim Tebow – I want to take this opportunity to thank each of you who chose to make a donation on North Texas Giving Day.  All of us who work at the Denison Forum have been encouraged and blessed by what God has accomplished through our donors.  There is so much we want to say, but for now, please know that we receive your gifts and your words of encouragement with great gratitude. We will work hard to serve and honor God through your donations.  To God be the glory – we praise him for blessing us with people like you.

Good Morning America” has a new host for Mondays –  Tim Tebow.  It is no secret that I am impressed with this young man and his commitment to Christ.  I’ve enjoyed writing about him in the past and I’m looking forward to keeping up with his “Motivate Me Monday” series on GMA.  The purpose of this segment is to feature individuals that have overcome adversity and who choose to live with strength and determination.   An ABC press release stated that, “Tebow will appear in studio and live on location in towns across America with a wide-range of reports that motivate and inspire.”

I’m excited to see ABC make this choice.  Truthfully, I was a bit surprised by the choice.  Tebow has been very open about the fact that he is a Christian and chooses to live his life according to biblical principles and values.  I thought it was interesting that ABC used the word “inspire” in the press release.  I watched Tebow’s first segment about a 10 year-old boy who loved football.  The boy was stricken with meningitis and his only hope of recovery was to amputate his legs below the knee.  Someone donated prosthetic blades to Devon, which enabled him to run.  I am sure I wasn’t the only mom whose eyes welled up when Devon talked about how great it was to feel the wind on his face again.  

Tim Tebow did a great job interviewing Devon.  He sat on the steps with him and talked to him like he was a big brother.  He looked at pictures, listened, looked into Devon’s eyes and was far more interested in the boy in front of him than the cameras that were looking on.  Then he threw a few passes to Devon so he could make some catches.  The video has more than 15,000 “likes” and I’m sure that number will grow quickly.  

I love what Tim Tebow wants to accomplish during these Monday segments.  I watched Devon’s interview but I did not hear the name of Jesus mentioned.  On the other hand, I saw Jesus in Tim every time he had the chance to speak.  I would imagine that most of ABC’s viewers know that the former quarterback is a Christian.  The weatherperson tried to make the crowd do the famous “Tebow” pose right before the interview.  A few people put their hands on their forehead and pretended to pray.  When the camera focus switched to Tim, he wasn’t smiling.  In fact, that was the only time I saw him not smiling.  I think he must be very tired of people making light of the witness that is so important to him.  Interestingly, very few people in the crowd wanted to make light of it either.

I titled this blog post, “Tim Tebow’s Motive to Motivate.”  I am going to pray that his motive remains consistently Christian.  I hope the largest demographic he motivates are his brothers and sisters in Christ.  The Lord has given Tim a large audience and a large witness.  Will you pray for him to allow the love of Christ to be evident in his life and work?  Will you pray that same prayer for yourself?  I often say our lives preach the loudest sermons.  Who will be motivated to seek Jesus because they see his love in you?  

Jesus was preaching the Sermon on the Mount when he said, “let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).   Later, Jesus was preparing his apostles for his death, and theirs, telling them that they would be persecuted too.  He warned them that there would be false prophets that would deceive many people and that wickedness would increase and faith would grow cold.  But then Jesus told the apostles, and us today, “but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.  And the gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come” (Matthew 24).

For the first time in human history, technology exists that makes the fulfillment of Matthew 24 possible.  Pray that Tim Tebow will “stand firm” – then pray that same prayer for yourself.  I’m not sure when Jesus will return, but I am absolutely certain that he will.  I hope it happens on a Monday morning, while Tim Tebow is on the air – then “in the air.”

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