Why I Disagree with My Pastor About Tim Tebow - Bleacher Report

It has been about two years since I gave my heart to Jesus. Prior to that I was a religious skeptic for most of my life. But something clicked a couple years ago and following Jesus suddenly made sense to me. I belong to a great church and have a great pastor. He and his son really helped change my relationship with the Lord.

This past Easter weekend was a busy time altogether. It culminated with an Easter Sunday service in which my pastor stated that he was a football fan. He said that he particularly enjoyed last season because of Tim Tebow. He thought it was great how this young man always gave glory to God as opposed to himself. He said that the media did not know how to handle it so they criticized him for it.

As much as I respect my pastor, I have to respectfully disagree with him on this. Being a Christian myself, I love it when an athlete gives glory to God. I always respected Kurt Warner for that. However, the whole story was not told when it comes to Tebow. In fairness to my respected pastor, he may not have known the other part of the story. 

It is true that the story of Tebow and the Denver Broncos was the highlight of last season. It is also true that Tebow got an opportunity and took the most of it and gave the glory to God. The only part that is missing is that in doing so Tebow broke one of the 10 Commandments. That is "Thou Shall not Steal."

You are probably thinking, "What exactly did he steal?" Well if you look at the definition of the word, it basically means taking something that is not rightfully yours. Last season, when Tebow got the starting nod he did not rightfully earn that spot. He got it because of fan pressure. He stole an opportunity that was not rightfully his.

Looking at Denver's training camp last season, there were four quarterbacks. Kyle Orton was the most experienced and would begin the year as the starter. The quarterback that rightfully earned the backup job was Brady Quinn, who clearly and consistently outperformed Tebow throughout camp. There was even debate as to whether Tebow was as good as rookie Adam Weber. 

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In other words, if Tebow had not been a fan favorite, he may not even have made the team. Denver went on to start the season 1-4 and therefore Orton would no longer be the quarterback. The guy who should have got the chance first was Quinn because he rightfully earned it.

The thing that bothers me about this is that Quinn is also a devout Christian. All the years I watched him at Notre Dame, I saw him give glory to God and lead his team in prayer on many occasions. For Tebow to take an opportunity from him that he did not earn was wrong. The fact that he did it to another man of God makes it even more disappointing.

Sure you can say that it was the coach's choice to play him. However, we know that if not for fan pressure, that decision would have never been made. Ironically, it was a couple of Muslims who put up a billboard calling for Tebow to start. While Tebow can't control the fans' actions, he made no effort to quiet them down. That would have been right for the team.

Sure the competitor in any of us would want to play and would take an opportunity given to us. However, that does not make it the right thing to do. Nor is it the Christian thing to do. If you are given an opportunity that somebody else rightfully earned and you take it, that is stealing. The right thing would be to decline the opportunity for the guy who rightfully earned it.

I am not saying that is an easy thing to do. In all honesty, I am not sure how I would handle that opportunity. Many of you will think that there is no way an athlete would ever do that. I remember Warner did do that in St. Louis when Marc Bulger had replaced him as the starter. There was one game when Bulger was struggling and Warner was asked to go in.

Warner said that Bulger had earned the starting job and deserved the right to finish it out. Warner got criticized for that as many current and former athletes didn't understand why a competitor would do that. Sure it was hard for the competitor, but he put his Christianity first. Warner was later blessed to be part of the Arizona team that went to the Super Bowl.

I am not saying Tebow doesn't put Christ first, but he didn't in this case. Tebow should have told John Elway and John Fox that he appreciates the opportunity but Brady should get a chance to play because he earned it.

Sure Tebow did make the most of his opportunity and he did give the glory to God. However, that doesn't take away his sin of taking something that was not his.

Now this offseason, many have wondered if it is fair that Peyton Manning came in and got the huge contract after what Tebow did. I say the opportunity he took was not rightfully his anyway. I am not sure if Tebow repented for the sin or not. That is between him and God. However, I certainly think God had something to do with putting him on the most dysfunctional team in the NFL, the New York Jets. 

Tebow is now going to be a backup and have the most foul mouthed coach in NFL history. I can't possibly see how that relationship can work. I see it as God knowing what his sin was, even if many others don't.