Open Letter To Tim Tebow

The following is a letter from a friend to Tim Tebow.  The original posting of this can be found here at the author's blog. 

In light of the upcoming NFL draft in which much debate has been given on where Tim Tebow should be drafted and what position he should play in the league, I have decided to write an open letter to Tim Tebow offering another option for his future.

Dear Tim Tebow,

Much has been made in recent weeks of what your potential future may hold. I am sure you have had your fill from men far more knowledgeable than myself in regards to what team is going to draft you, in what round, what kind of quarterback you will be, and even if you should play the position of quarterback at all. As a football fan, I would be remiss to say that I haven’t considered my own opinions in answer to those questions, however, none of that is my reason for writing today. Instead, I am writing to encourage you of another option for your future and that is to disregard football completely and instead continue to live your life for the glory of God.

I am asking you to consider forgoing an NFL career for three reasons: 1) to properly honor the Lord’s Day and keep the fourth commandment 2) to avoid unnecessary temptations of the world and shun sin and 3) to offer a one-of-a-kind testimony of your faith in Christ.

First, while unfortunately not very popular in our present day culture, the bible nonetheless teaches that Christians are to observe the sabbath by sanctifying, or setting apart the day for God’s purposes. The Westminster Shorter Catechism summarizes what this means when it states, “The sabbath is to be sanctified by a holy resting all that day, even from such worldly employments and recreations as are lawful on other days; and spending the whole time in the public and private exercises of God's worship, except so much as is to be taken up in the works of necessity and mercy.” The majority of NFL games will be played on Sundays so you will regularly miss corporate worship and instead have to prioritize your day around your game, rather than worship of God.

Second, I am perhaps stating the obvious here, but the life of a famous, wealthy NFL superstar lends a young man to many unnecessary temptations that, if given into, will bring dishonor to our Lord and weaken your Christian walk. Great wealth itself has caused many a man to stumble. Couple that with your youth and good looks, and I can assure you that you will almost daily be faced with sinful propositions from countless women. Of course, I am sure a young man who has already endured fame such as yours has also already faced his share of temptations. I am trusting that you have made the most God-honoring choice in these situations in the past, but as an NFL player, invitations to fall into sin will multiply greatly. I pray that if you choose to go the route of an NFL career, God’s grace sustains you while the enemy pursues you. Don’t be deceived into thinking that an NFL career is automatically a “blessing”; it could very well be a curse.

Third, while many will argue that being a Christian with wealth, fame, and privilege is an opportunity to be used by the Lord, I will counter that God uses many men and women of much more meager lifestyles on a regular basis. Instead, think of how awesome a testimony you will have to glorify God if you choose to give up an NFL opportunity and instead choose to live as a “normal” guy. It’s the sinful, greedy man who can’t comprehend how a person could pass up millions of dollars for a 9-5 job. After all, it’s just money. God’s not impressed by it. Think of the testimony of giving up fame and being recognized by millions in order to exalt Christ rather than self. It’s the sinful, proud man who can’t fathom passing up celebrity status for the humble life of a godly husband and father. Many times Christians profess that life is not about money, possessions, fame, etc. Instead we profess that all we need is Christ. But then again, how many of these believers have truly been in the position to live their profession? You have that opportunity.

In conclusion, I hope that you don’t read this letter for something that it is not. I already admitted that I enjoy the NFL. This letter was in no way intended to badmouth the league. I also do not mean to imply that if you choose to play football as a professional, you are no longer a Christian or that there aren’t any Christians in the league presently. What I hoped to accomplish with this letter was to merely get you to think about your future and prayerfully consider that you are by no means obligated to be an NFL player. Instead, your only obligation as a biblical Christian is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever. I will be praying for you in whatever you decide to do.

Your brother in Christ,

Andrew S.