There are three types of people in this world who hate Tim Tebow.

1.)    Genuine Florida Gator haters, i.e. Florida State or Miami Hurricane fans

2.)    Genuine Denver Bronco loathers, i.e. Raiders, Chargers or Chief fans

3.)    People who cannot stand to see a Christian living out his faith, living wholesomely, morally, doing well and giving the glory to God. 

We typically call people within the number three group liberals; however, it is shocking, and yet not shocking at all, that many people who uncontrollably despise Tim Tebow label themselves as Christians.  Since the first two groups are completely legitimate reasons for hating in the world of football, I will focus on the third, and largest, group of Tim Tebow haters.

What is it about Tim Tebow that arouses such opinion?  Most people either love him or despise him.  There doesn’t seem to be any indifference in feeling, like there is with other professional athletes.  So, why all the fuss?  Why all the hate-mongering and mockery and nay-saying about this young man – his talent, his faith and his life?  Why does this man incite some to cheers and many, many others to jeers?  Why all the hate, instead of simple indifference?  The answer lies in one simple verse relating to Jesus’ words to the disciples – “And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake.”  Matthew 10:22  You see, the world first hated Jesus (John 15:18), a man completely blameless and without sin.  A man, sent by God himself, our Creator, to die for the world to save us all from our sins and to give us life abundantly and yet the world still hated Him.  The world despised a baby born poor in a lowly manger (Luke 2:7), a child who obeyed his parents (Luke 2:51), a man who healed the sick, forgave the sinners, drove out the demons, loved the unlovable, helped the helpless, brought harm to no one, and was still hated by this world.  A man who willingly gave over his life to be betrayed, slandered, spat on, hit, abandoned,  beaten and abused, mocked and ultimately killed so that those inflicting the pain, and all those after, might be saved and have eternal life, was still hated by the world. 

So, if they hated Him, they will of course hate His followers, His real followers.

Why Tim Tebow?  There are plenty of professional football players who identify as Christian, say prayers before the game and even throw up a finger towards the heavens after scoring a touchdown or make a great play, so why the smear campaign of Tebow?  Because he represents so much more!  He is a true witness, reaching millions, influencing and inspiring and spreading the gospel any chance he gets, whether through his eyes as a college player, his interviews as a professional, or simply his life song.  He speaks of Jesus constantly.  Jesus, the name that makes some rejoice and others tremble.  His love for the Lord is unwavering, and the world can’t stand that. 

He has stated he’s a virgin, so the world reacts by either painting him as a liar, or demeaning him to the likings of a prude, possible homosexual, or Ned Flanders.  Forget that it’s virtuous, respectable, and by all accounts commanded by the Lord.  The world complains about rising STD numbers in college aged America and rant and rave about teenage pregnancies and unwed single mothers, but then chastises the man who keeps himself void of these dangers and pure for his future wife.  And let’s be honest, it’s not like he’s not had the opportunity.  A man of his stature, talent, and I must say, incredible good looks, most certainly will not have a hard time finding a date, if he so chooses.  Even my husband has a man-crush on the guy, and my husband has impeccable taste.

Tim Tebow also “Tebows”, which outrages the world.  They’ll paint him as any type of selfish, self-serving, arrogant, insensitive, demonic villain possible to stop this from happening.  The world can’t stand to see God be glorified, which is exactly what “Tebowing” is.  Every time Tim drops to his knee, he is humbling himself to our Almighty God.  He is saying, “not me Lord, but you.”  Haters want to demonize this act stating he is asking God for touchdowns and wins and is therefore despicable.  Well, if he is asking the Lord for touchdowns and wins, he isn’t the first athlete and I’m sure won’t be the last.  Even non-believing athletes will send up a shout out to “god” under the right pressure and circumstance.  And what working American hasn’t prayed for a raise, a bonus, or a better job?  What about the countless prayers that goes up for new cars, better pensions, or finances to stop the foreclosure process?  And guess what?  All these prayers are fine for the Bible teaches us in countless verses that God is concerned with every area of our life.

But the presumption to assume he’s asking for a touchdown is ridiculous anyways.  Based on Tebow’s life example, he is most likely thanking God.  But regardless of what he is telling the Lord, it is an act of submission to God Almighty.

“Never stop praying.  Be thankful in all circumstances.” 1 Thessalonians 5:17-18 

I do believe football games fall under the realm of all.  For it is God that gave Tim his talent, and it is God that directed his steps (Proverbs 16:9) and Tebow should forever hit his knee to give the glory to God, who has the power to easily take it all away.

The haters in group number three come out with every spew and lie possible to stop Tim from praying.  The most ridiculous argument I’ve heard so far is that God is allowing other people to suffer to help Tim Tebow.  Absolutely absurd!!  By making such claims that God ignores other prayers and other situations diminish God’s power.  God is omnipotent.  He is everywhere.  He hears every prayer.  He doesn’t forsake anyone during the Bronco game and it’s just another pathetic tactic to try to bring shame to Tim’s worship.

In addition, Tebow lives his life helping others.  He spends much of his time off the field volunteering and helping others in their life.  He raises money for causes dear to his heart, and dear to the Lord’s.  He spends time at Uncle Dick’s Orphanage in the Philippines and supports them financially as well.  His foundation supports The W15H program which fulfills the dreams of children with life-threatening illnesses whose wish is to meet Tim Tebow.  The foundation has partnered with CURE on an International Children’s Hospital Construction Project.  CURE exists to provide both physical and spiritual healing.  Why would this trouble the world?  Because what do we do all day?  What do you do all day?  The average American watches more than 4 hours of television a day.  Put that on top of a typical 8 hour work day, that doesn’t leave much time for helping others.  The world hates others who do what they should be doing but aren’t.  We should all be helping others in one form or another, but most people are too involved with their own lives.  For more information on Tim’s foundation, visit http://www.timtebowfoundation.org/

Tim Tebow just seems to have it all together and for that the world hates him.  Jealousy invokes a bitter emotion of hate, and from all standpoints, he has many reasons to be envied, but the Lord commands “Do not covet” Exodus 20:17.

The pro-aborts really hate him for he represents something very dangerous to their agenda – Life.  His mother was pressured by her doctors to abort Tim because they stated he would possibly be a stillborn or have life threatening, debilitating issues, due to a severe placental abruption, yet she still chose life.  This fact alone creates more rage to them than the picture of the aborted baby Malachi, because he exposes their evil lies and he isn’t going away.  They hate him because he is life.  They prefer him dead, even calling on other pro-aborts to donate money to abortion clinics every time he makes a touchdown. See the hypocrisy of the lie “pro-choice”?  They do not celebrate his mom’s choice to give life.  They hate her and they hate him.  They try to shut his message up, causing uproar over his 30 second Super Bowl Commercial for Focus on the Family, and they want to use his talent and his successes to provide money to kill others, lest there be more Tim’s.

They hate him because he’s not backing down.  With countless criticism from every angle, Tim’s faith and message is unwavering.

The bottom line, however, is Tim is hated because he is a real Christian.  He doesn’t just list it as his religion on Facebook because it seems to be the one that fits.  He doesn’t just go to church on Easter and Christmas.  He doesn’t just claim to be a Christian on Sunday and go about worldly living during the week.  He talks the talk and walks the walk.  If the world hated a man who did no wrong and came to love and spread good news, then it makes perfect sense that they will hate the man trying to follow in His footsteps.  It stands to reason that the world would hate him.

So keep on hating groups 1 and 2, and world, we were told of your kind many years ago, but if you call yourself a Christian and Tim conjures a rage, discomfort, anger or fury inside of you, you need to examine yourself as to why.  You need to examine your true relationship with Jesus Christ, Lord and Savior, because it is not Tim that you have the issue, but the One he follows instead.