Tim Tebow: A Good Man

I've tried very hard over the course of the current NFL season to ignore it; like I wrote earlier, the lockup that almost ruined the season left me not wanting to know how the Packers or the Colts are doing and so on (that also goes for the Super Bowl as well).  However, one story that has become impossible to ignore is how Tim Tebow, the Heisman-winning quarterback currently playing for the Denver Broncos, is faring.

The fact Tebow is a Christian is not something he has shied away from, and a number of individuals (most notably other players, including a former Broncos QB) have resorted to mocking or criticizing him for it.  Yet, despite the negative reaction to Tebow's expressions of his faith, he not only continues to express his faith freely, he also has led the Broncos to winning six of their last seven games (and putting them currently in a tie for first place in the AFC West Division).

William J. Bennett, in a piece he wrote for CNN, makes a superb defense of Tebow and his faith, which includes the stark contrast between the content of Tebow's character and the fallout which has taken place at Penn State and Syracuse.  A particular portion of Dr. Bennett's piece is especially important to contemplate, as he points out the folly of suspecting hypocrisy in all good men:

C.S. Lewis warned us of this. He wrote in "The Abolition of Man," "We make men without chests and expect from them virtue and enterprise. We laugh at honor and are shocked to find traitors in our midst." We scoff at Tebow and all that he represents and are horrified at the scandals at Penn State and Syracuse. We are right to be horrified, but we shouldn't make fun of our good men. (emphasis mine)

Despite what Tim Tebow's critics have said about him and what their motivations are, he thankfully has not let them affect how he lives, or how he plays.  He continues to be the very thing his detractors don't believe (and repeatedly try to prove doesn't) exist: a hero.  May he continue to live as a good man of faith, may he continue to succeed as a quarterback, and may we all appreciate the existence of good men, of heroes, such as Tim Tebow.