Last week Saturday night live had a sketch that mildly pointed Tim Tebow as a nutjob. They paint him as if he serves the Lord with all his heart, mind, soul, and strength.
They paint that is being weird.
One wonders if this kind of “poking fun” attitude would be happening if Tim was a Muslim? After all, poking fun at Christians is easy. We never fight back.
Christ knew this was coming. The bible mentions it a ton. It also mentions that those who are persecuted will be blessed later. This leads me to believe that if we are not being persecuted, it means we are not letting our “Jesus Freak” flag wave high enough. Here are just a few examples:
Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,
—2 Timothy 3:12
Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.
1 Peter 4:16
Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name.
—1 Peter 4:12-14, 16
“Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils and scourge you in their synagogues….But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak; for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.
Matthew 10:16-20
“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven….”
Matthew 5:10-12
“The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.”
Romans 8:16-18
… you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake… And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved.”
Matthew 24:8-14
In an interview on the Jim Rome show, former LA Rams quarterback Kurt Warner (another openly Christian athlete) explained that at times he was asked to “tone it down.” That he had, at times, “Taken some flack” for being a Christian.
The more popular you get, the more you will be persecuted. The more the devil will send temptation his way so the world can call him a hypocrite. We all need to pray for Tim. For all the good he is doing, the world will be waiting, and baiting him, to fail.
