Tim Tebow

For starters, if you don't like this guy, you are literally an idiot.

This weekend ended Tim Tebow's fairy tale, Disney-style season with the Broncos. I've never been more emotionally torn over a football game because although my team is the Patriots and I enjoyed watching them play so well, I hoped for a more competitive game and wanted to see Tebow perform well, win or lose.

But after the game ended, I realized that win or lose, football really isn't the reason we like Tim Tebow. Granted, the dramatic come-from-behind victories were always exciting and the touchdown pass in OT against the Steelers was beautiful, but that isn't why we like him. He was voted "Americas Favorite Athelete" this year. He beat out, Kobe Bryant, Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, and various others who you have to admit  are better "athletes" on the court or field. So why do we like him?

BECAUSE HE'S THE MAN, in every sense of the word. He's a stand-up guy, through and through. He's nice to everyone, even his opponents. It's almost weird, but it puts a smile on their face. He brings out sick children and their families to watch him play and meets them before or after games to ensure they're having the time of their life. Non-religious people can't help but like him because he's a great guy and shows that men and athletes can still show moral excellence and be a valuable asset to humanity as a whole.

Christians, including myself, absolutely adore this guy. I used to joke (half-joke) that I wish we could make a new title for Christians besides "Christian" because I was sick of crazy people in the media making the title of "Christian" look like a bad thing. But for once, there's a Christian being showcased in the media who isn't being a psycho, walking around with "Thank God For Dead Soldiers" signs and being a judgmental hypocrite. The guy walks the walk, 100%, all the time, and have you heard him judge or condemn anyone for not living like him? Nope, and I'm pretty positive we never will. When Jesus was asked in Luke 10 what the greatest commandment was, he answered "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength and with all your mind, and love your neighbor as yourself." That is how Tim Tebow lives, and the results speak for themselves. He is truly an inspiration to me as a man, a Christian, and yes, even as a sports fan.

So yes, although his 2011-2012 football season is over, this is by no means the last we'll hear of Tim Tebow. I have confidence he'll continue growing as an athlete and a quarterback, but I'm more excited to see him grow as a man of God who is, in all senses of the phrase, letting his light shine on the world.

One of Ghandi's most famous quotes on Christianity is "I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians." I don't think he could have said that about Tim Tebow.