Everyone Needs a "Playbook"

In sports, a ‘playbook’ contains descriptions and diagrams of a team's plays. Outside the sports connotation, a ‘playbook’ is a set of strategies for conducting a business or political campaign. For example,“Romney borrowed a page from Reagan's playbook.” Regarding the fickle state of our current financial fiasco, economists worry there is no playbook for responding to unprecedented events (USA Today, 6/21/12).

Professional sports teams, businesses, and election campaigns alike know they need a playbook to compete and succeed. Christians needs one too! Our playbook is the Bible (2 Tim. 3:16). And we can’t succeed without knowing it, reading it, learning it, memorizing it, and most importantly, following it—to the letter (Josh. 1:8).

Satan has a playbook too. And we are greatly disadvantaged if we don’t know his schemes and strategies (2 Cor. 2:11). But we can counter him if we stick to the plan. With uncertainty surrounding us, our success can only be assured if we keep it close at hand, and pay close attention to it (Heb 2:1). Reminds me of the expression, “when all else fails, read the instructions.”

Are We Fourth Quarter Christians?

On today’s front page of USA Today, evangelical Christian Tim Tebow is proclaimed a “one-man cultural blitz.” His miraculous overtime win against the Steelers has put him front and center of the whole world. Throwing 316 yards added to the mystique (John 3:16 in the top 3 Google ‘searches’ of the day). But the uniquely amazing thing about Tim Tebow’s ‘game’ is when he wins: in the 4th quarter and in overtime.

The spiritual analogies are exploding in my brain like popcorn. But this “fourth-quarter/overtime” winning phenomenon is shouting for attention. A survey of God’s men of faith reveals they were “4th quarter” winners. Moses’ faith was rewarded in the 4th quarter parting of the Red Sea ; Abraham received God’s overtime promise when there was no possibility of natural conception; Daniel astonished the king with an overtime deliverance from hungry lions.

On the other end of faith, however, was King Saul, an impatient man who lost in the 4th quarter. Unwilling to wait until Samuel arrived, he gave in to the fear of man, losing not only Samuel’s blessing but the kingdom itself. My friends, does it feel you like you are in the 4th quarter? Moreover, are we not all living in the 4th quarter of Time? Do we have 4th quarter faith? Could this need for 4th quarter faith be what Jesus spoke of when he asked, “when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?" (Luke 18:8)

Have you heard of “tebowing”?

The other day I was quite moved by this picture of Denver Bronco's quarterback Tim Tebow, kneeling on the football field. (For more information on Tim, see my 11/24/post.) While Tim is normally a passer, this time he is on the receiving end of mockery and ridicule.

I recently discovered that Tim Tebow’s practice of praying publicly before every game has been captured in a new word in the Urban dictionary: “tebowing.” It means “to get down on a knee and start praying, even if everyone else around you is doing something completely different.” In itself, the term “tebowing” sounds respectful. But that is not at all how it is being used. A mocking website, called Tebowing.com, has sprung up, featuring dozens of photos of people tebowing on NY City streets, tebowing in silly costumes, tebowing at a construction site, tebowing before the Taj  Mahal etc.

You and I know of course that Tim is actually praying when he is kneeling. But "tebowing" has become a mockery of this young man's faith in God. On a higher note, however, the Urban dictionary has also added the adjective “tebow” which is used to describe a person who is honorable, respected, and/or amazing. And wouldn’t you agree that our brother Tim is very ‘tebow!’

Thank God Tim Tebow won’t shut up and stop talking about Jesus!

Even while we watch college football experience its darkest hour (Penn State sexual abuse), we are witnessing a National Football League star being born: Tim Tebow.

Tim first came to national attention when Focus on the Family featured him in an anti-abortion campaign ‘spot’ during the Super Bowl two years ago. After contracting a disease during her pregnancy, Tim’s mother was advised by her doctors to abort the ‘unborn’ to protect her life. Undaunted, she refused—and  both she and baby Tim lived. Tim excelled in everything he did.  In 2007, Tim Tebow not only became the youngest ever to win the coveted Heisman Trophy, he earned numerous other  awards as the nation's most outstanding amateur athlete.

Now, in his first year as the starting quarterback for the Denver Broncos, he credits his 4-1 record to his faith in Jesus. One sports commentator said, “I wish he’d just shut up after a game and go hug his teammates… I don’t hate him because of that [talking about Jesus]; I just would rather not have to hear that every single time he takes a good snap or makes a good handoff.”

There is an account in early church history when the Jewish leaders commanded Peter and John to stop speaking or teaching Jesus. Their response: "We cannot stop telling about everything we have seen and heard." (Act 4:18-20) Likewise, I don’t think Tim Tebow is going to shut up stop talking about Jesus anytime soon. Thank God for Tim Tebow.