By Jeff Rich – RichJ44@bellsouth.net

Disclaimer:  I’m afraid you’re in for another edition of the Jeffrey Blog(tm) this week.  Kiera is very busily working on a new Sunday School curriculum and Friday night, in an attempt to lower her stress level, I innocently asked “What can I do to help?”

“Well…you could clean the bathrooms tomorrow, that would help” she said.  Gulp…but ok, I can do that.  And I did ask how I could help.  Not a big deal, really.

“And you could write my Blog on Sunday!” 

My heart skipped a beat.  I mean, yeah, I offered to help but blogging?  That was a low blow.   But then I figured if she wants to inflict my writing on her adoring audience, I’ll do my best.  As I sit here typing this, I can hear her pounding away on her own keyboard as she tries to meet her curriculum deadline. 

But she owes me.  )  Now on to the blog!

The time of year being what it is, this blog is about college football.  I’m a nearly lifelong Florida Gator fan.  It all started when my big brother went to UF back in the mid 60’s and continued when my little brother went there in the 80’s, and it just never stopped.  As a Gator fan, I’ve learned to live with countless disappointments and failings by their football team.  “Wait til next year” was pretty much the battle cry for all Gator fans everywhere.  Until recently.

Over the last 15 years or so, they’ve consistently had some pretty good teams.  Even won a couple of national championships.  But even so, there has always been something lacking.  Call it heart.  Call it killer instinct (we’re talking sports, so that’s considered a good thing in this instance).  Whatever, it still meant that no matter how good the team, Florida would always find a way to blow a big game…or even a little game…that they should have won.  They even backed into both of the National Championship games that they won.  Each time they lost a late season game they shouldn’t have, but were lucky enough that all the teams above them lost too, putting them back into contention.  So there was always a flaw there for this team, and I thought I’d never see it change.

This season, Florida is 12-1.  They just beat #1 ranked Alabama in the SEC title game, and appear to be headed to another National Championship game, probably against Oklahoma.  And yes, earlier in the year they lost a game to a team they probably should have beaten, but it was back in September, 9 games ago.   Since then they have seemingly been transformed into a powerhouse.  No late season choke.  No “shoulda woulda coulda”.   No lucking into the Championship game.  Just taking care of business, showing a degree of toughness and heart that I can’t ever remember seeing from a Gator football team. 

So what happened to the “flawed” Gators  I had come to know and love?  I don’t know for certain.  But I suspect  the reason had a lot to do with their quarterback, Tim Tebow, and this statement he made shortly after their only loss:  Tim Tebow apology

I admit, when I first saw the video (which I was unable to find a link to unfortunately) I was torn between rolling my eyes and feeling sorry for him.  If it were anyone else I would have thought it was unbelievably corny.  But having watched Tebow for the last couple of years, I knew he meant every word.  It was obvious how much he was hurting but I didn’t see how he could possibly live up his statement. 

But you know what?  I apparently misjudged and underestimated his ability as a leader; his ability to get his entire team to live up to the statement he made.  Florida has been a markedly different team since Tebow made that statement.   They have absolutely played their hardest and their best since that day.  They have shown heart and courage and toughness that I’ve never seen from a Gator football team.

Kiera pointed out something to me earlier this year as we were watching one of the Gator games.  On one of the many closeups they showed of Tim Tebow, you could clearly see his face.  You know the black grease many players like to wear under their eyes?  There was something written in white on his.

I looked closer and read “Phil 4:13″.  I’m not the Bible scholar my wife is, so I had to ask what the verse said.  The answer, of course, is:

Phillipians 4:13 (New King James Version) “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

I’m not sure when he started doing that.  I’ve gone back through some old pictures, and he definitely didn’t have it there last season.  I don’t think he had it for the first few games of this season.  I may be wrong, but I suspect that he added that after their loss, and after his apology. 

Anyone who follows college football has heard plenty about Tim Tebow and his devout Christianity.  I’m not going to go into all the wonderful things he’s done, both before and during his time at Florida.  It’s well documented, and if you haven’t heard, do yourself a favor and do an internet search for “Tim Tebow and faith, or beliefs, or Christianity” etc.  This is honestly a young man who is totally committed to his Lord and Savior and wants the whole world to know it. 

Do I think that God particularly cares about the Florida Gators record?  Of course not.  I’m not saying God has rewarded the Gators because their quarterback has a Bible verse stenciled on his face every Saturday.  But I do believe that their quarterback, their leader, is the type of man who believes so strongly in Jesus Christ  that he is indeed able to accomplish all things through Him.  Even getting a team that was notorious for being weak-willed, prone to losing focus, choking, giving up, losing heart -  however you want to describe it – to play harder and more courageously and with more heart than ever before.  And the obvious  result of that is a nine game winning streak, national Media attention, and a chance for a third National Championship.  But look beneath the obvious, and what do you find?

You find a young man who, through his unwavering devotion to Christ and his eagerness to proclaim that devotion at every opportunity, is being given an ever bigger stage from which to proclaim it.  Bigger games.  More attention from the media nationwide.  More articles about Tim Tebow, and not coincidentally, the faith and devotion to Christ which drives everything he does.  And ultimately more glory to our Lord. 

Let’s not kid ourselves…if Florida’s record was 1-12 instead of 12-1 no one outside of the most faithful Gator fans would have ever heard of Tim Tebow.   But it’s not.  

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” 

I truly believe Tebow is able to accomplish his goals because of his reliance on Jesus Christ our Savior.   I couldn’t be happier that Tim has become a role model not only for me; but, more importantly he’s also become a role model for little kids all over the country.  In response, I think God is probably saying, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

But in my humanness, I can only say one thing. “Go Gators!  Go change the world.”

Click here for more information on Tim and his work off the football field.

By Kiera Rich – KRich13@bellsouth.net

We just finished watching the presentation of the Heisman Trophy and we cheered out loud when Tim Tebow was announced as this year’s winner.   I admire Tim Tebow greatly.  He is an incredibly talented guy.  He’s fun to watch.  He doesn’t talk trash about people.  He doesn’t play dirty.  Instead, he plays with amazing passion.  Nobody has ever done some of the things Tim has; and, it’s likely it will be a while before we see anyone match his accomplishments.

But you know what I really love about Tim?  Here’s a hint.  It has nothing to do with football and everything to do with faith.  In his interviews, Tim stated his priorities — putting God first followed by family, school and finally football.  Although clearly overwhelmed by the moment, in his award speech, Tim put first things first and thanked God for His blessings and for the gifts he’d been given.  He thanked his parents and teammates and nearly everyone else in the world in less than 2 minutes.  Anyone know if Tim is at the University of Florida as an auctioneering major?   He rattled off his speech in such a  genuine and endearing way that I had tears in my eyes.

After years of teaching Sunday school and leading small groups for middle schoolers, I have to admit that I’ve been flat-out terrified at some of the personal role models my kids have come up with.  And I’ve been very discouraged at times when I have heard and seen bad behavior of said role models mimicked.  Since when was disrespect for authority, an arrest record, multiple piercings, tatoos and/or provocative clothing a prerequisite for being “cool”?  It just makes me so sad and very, very scared for the future and the culture that kids are embracing.  I know that I must be showing my advancing age when I ask this but what in the world is wrong with kids today? 

But tonight…tonight, there are a whole lot of little boys wishing that they were Tim Tebow and I think that’s a very cool thing to wish for.  I hope that Tim realizes that he is a role model and that he takes that responsibility seriously.  In response to a media question about how her personal clothing choices were affecting teenage girls, Britney Spears once said “I never asked to be any one’s role model.”

Guess what, Britney?  Like it or not, you’re a role model.

The scary thing is, so am I.  So are you.   It’s easy to say, “I’m just a musician.  I didn’t ask to be a role model.”  Or “I’m just a teacher” or an actor, or an athlete or a dancer or a million other things.  But the fact is that we are role models, for better or worse.   And to say, “I never asked to be…” is simply a cop out.

Tim Tebow found a way to use his love of football for Christ.  As a result, he has become a very positive role model to a lot of people.   Christian drama is my way of doing what I love for Christ.  Sometimes it’s not easy.  When rehearsals are long, when actors are inattentive, irresponsible, or disrespectful, when a production schedule is hit with unavoidable delays.  It’s hard to be a good role model when all I want to do is scream at people and then throw my hands in the air and quit.  It is hard to be a good role model when what I believe to be a very creative and innovative script is panned by a well-meaning (Albeit very traditionally slanted!) critic.  At those times, I get very defensive.   And very, very human.

But maybe I could learn something from Tim Tebow.  Maybe my priorities aren’t always straight.  At those times when I’m frustrated or getting my feelings hurt, is God really my first priority?  Umm…let me think about that for a minute…  Nope!  Is He even a close second?  Probably not.  How different would my reactions and thoughts and feelings be if I was focused solely on God?  I’m ashamed to admit that at times they would be very, very different.

I’m not a kid.  Far from it.  Had I started early, I’m old enough to be Tim Tebow’s mother.  And yet, as I have watched and read about him for the last two years, I have learned much.  I’ve learned about boldness, about priorities, about stepping up and leading courageously.  I’ve learned about faith and passion.  It’s amazing to me that someone I’ve never met could touch my life and be a role model to me; but isn’t that one of the mysteries of Christ?  Through Him we have the power to impact and touch and change lives — even the lives of people we’ve never even met.

Raise your hand if you think that’s an incredible scary thought.  But ain’t it cool?