Tim Tebow is my fantasy football quarterback. This is not to make a statement – I would much prefer Aaron Rodgers. Instead his place is the result of injuries and necessity. When you add in his ground game he always scores more than any other quarterback on my team – so he is my quarterback. Though, as I said I would much prefer someone else – hence my dream team’s 5-6 record. I have only the slightest hope of a play-off spot. Unlike the real Tebow who plays in the decrepit AFC West.

Because of this I find myself paying more attention to Tim Tebow. It seems a majority of the press world hates him. Not for anything he does on the field – though they are startled he wins. Instead they hate his constant witness. And I will confess, my first reaction is to cringe. I would rather not see Christians ridiculed in the town square. Plus I wonder if the witness is more show than effect. [Tim Everly sent me a great article on Kurt Warners reaction to Tebow – Which I agreed with Warner.]

Granted the NFL is all about show. Did you see Stevie Johnson’s touchdown dance, pretending to be shot in the leg. He was mocking Plaxico Burress who accidentally shot himself in the leg at a night club. From this perspective Tebowing makes more sense. While it would be ludicrous  for us to bow after a successful job running copies – everyone in the NFL is promoting themselves, so why not blatantly promote Christ?

It is rare for us to lament self-promotion – at least with the NFL. Most of the time I do not even notice. So why all the fuss about Tim?? Really why does anyone care? On this I read another article and it has a great line toward the end, “The level of discourse about religion in this country is frankly embarrassing, a b—— child of political discourse.”

Some might cringe at this quote, but it is truth (unfortunately, it can be true of discourse inside the church!). But because of everyone’s overreaction I am left wondering what is effective witness? As I see it play out in the press, with pro-Tebow and anti-Tebow shouting at one another – my Christian friends seem evenly divided by Tebow, I am left wondering what does God want? How does He want us to witness?

This is the place I think most Christians find ourselves. We want to witness, we know we are supposed to witness, but we are not quite sure how. Plus, what we see happening to Tebow, can happen on a smaller scale to all of us. Just bringing up God can end conversations. Can end friendships.

Now some of us will have answers. Live the life style of Christ. Build relationships. Be more bold in individual relationships, rather trying to shout in the crowd.

And yet, all of the polarization, has left many of us scared. Unsure. We debate all of Tebow’s words, but our own voice of witness is…

silent.

When get so passionate on one side of Tebow or the other we are debating the wrong question. There is no reason to ponder Tebow’s witness. Buying his t-shirt misses the point. Because our support is owed to another. So, instead of the Tebow debate, we should spend time pondering our own witness…

or lack there of.

When was the last time you witnessed to someone? Not invited them to church, but witnessed. Moved beyond an example of actions to words. Words that give meaning to your life.