Attention Athletes! God Does Not Care That You Play A Game

        In the wake of Tim Tebow, and with the current rise of Jeremy Lin, I would like to say that athletes have no need to thank their lord and savior, Jesus Christ, every time they score a touchdown, or make a basket.  I’m sure God has better things to do than watch grown men play a game that they get highly overpaid for.  I’m sure there are starving children, oh, I don’t know, around the world that would sure like a little help with just surviving to see the next day.

         I know a lot has been said about Tim Tebow already, and I realize that I’m a little late getting to the party here, but I have to start with him.  Tebow is not the first, nor will he be the last, pro athlete that lets his religious beliefs be known.  I personally think that it is great that he is out spoken about it.  That’s what you are supposed to do when you believe strongly in something; let other people know where you stand.

Tebow has also done a lot of good.  He is probably one of the very few athletes today that will really talk with fans, especially children.  He has also opened up a hospital in the Philippines, which is amazing and shows that he is trying to contribute something positive in this world, and I commend him for his efforts.

         The problem I have is that everything he does is for, or because of, God.  When Tebow came in to start for the Broncos, and went on the amazing tear during the regular season that got them into the playoffs, he would thank his lord and savior Jesus Christ as much, if not more so, than his teammates, coaches, or himself.

I understand that he is an unselfish individual, but would it hurt to simply say that you stepped up your game because the team needed you, that you spent countless hours with your coach watching game film to break down defenses and your throwing mechanics, that you ran every practice like it was a real game situation and that you focused in on your goal to become and NFL quarterback and made the most of our opportunity and proved all the people that said you would never be a pro style quarterback wrong?

         No, because God was with you when you made that touchdown run.  God was with you when you threw that pass up for grabs in the fourth quarter and your receiver came down with it because of God’s grace.  It’s fine to believe in God, but just don’t pretend that your teammates did nothing for you on their own.  You are all trained professional athletes that have played the game of football since you were in at least high school.  Can’t some of the praise go to your own abilities that you have worked so hard to perfect?

To be honest, if God were with you, why do you need an offensive line?  Is God not strong enough to keep the defensive line blocked at the line of scrimmage?  I would be praying to my offensive line every day if I were a quarterback.  That and bringing them to a steakhouse every Thursday night, I think that may get them to block for you a little more than praying.  Just remember to buy dessert as well.

         The new flavor of the month is Jeremy Lin.  I really like his story.  Lin is an Asian-American who played at Harvard and went undrafted two years ago and was cut from two teams until the Knicks put him in about a month ago and he started to carry the team.  Linsanity swept across the nation like a wildfire in Texas when the Knicks went on a five game winning streak.  I was on board as well, and I don’t even watch the NBA.  But his story is great.  Then I started hearing grumblings about him being the next Tim Tebow, so I started looking into it.
         Lin is just as outspoken about God influencing his play as Tebow!  On February 14^th, the Knicks beat the Toronto Raptors on a last second shot by Lin.  In the interview after the game Lin said, “Well, we called an iso at the top of the key, and he was trying to push me left and he backed up a little bit and I just, you know, thought I could hit the three and try to take it down to as little time as possible and I just thank my lord and savior Jesus Christ for that shot man.  I was, ah, thankful that it went in.”

Again, Jesus is the reason his shot went in.  Not the countless hours of practice, not the fact that he has made that shot before, not because he wanted to take the shot, not because of his coaches or teammates.  But because Jesus set up the shot for him and made it go it.  Give credit where credit is due.  Lin made that shot because of…wait for it…himself!  Gasp!  Say it ain’t so! 

         I am all for Tebow and Lin having religious conviction.  They both seem to be genuinely nice individuals that I would like to share a drink, or glass of milk and fresh homemade cookies, with and just talk with them because they have great stories.  But to keep thanking Jesus or God for a game is inappropriate in my mind.

         Outside of the realm of professional sports there is war, famine, anarchy, brutal dictatorships, disease, drought and numerous other things that a caring God should be concerned about.  In fact, God should be focusing his efforts on those things instead of athletes who get millions of dollars to play a game and contribute nothing to society. 

         Thinking God is with you as a professional athlete has to stop.  God does not care about football, basketball, soccer (or real football), hockey, NASCAR, track and field, swimming, tennis, golf, ping-pong, foosball, or world’s strongest man competitions.  You can stick to your beliefs and I applaud you for doing so.  But, if you make a great play, or a clutch bucket, take credit for it, thank your teammates and coaches and move on.

You have worked ridiculously hard to get where you are today.  Jesus was not in the weight room, not running with you, not practicing throwing mechanics, not shooting baskets with you.  Nothing.  He may have been in your heart, but you did the work yourself because you wanted it.  You did it yourselves and you deserve credit for that, and you should not be ashamed to say that you worked damn hard to be where you are today.  Be proud of that fact and take credit when it is due.  Because no one will care if God was with you when you lost.  That’s all on you.

~Sworsky