What we can all learn from Tim Tebow

It’s January 13 (yes … Friday the 13^th) and I’m writing my editor’s note as our country is once again preparing to climb the heights of Mt. Tebowmania this weekend as the Denver Broncos travel to face the New England Patriots in the AFC playoffs.

Even if you’re not a football fan, chances are you’ve heard of Denver quarterback Tim Tebow this season … or maybe more specifically this past week as he led the Broncos to an upset of the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first round of the playoffs. There is perhaps no more polarizing athlete right now in any sport … and apparently no more popular athlete either as ESPN.com recently revealed that a poll named Tebow as America's most popular athlete.

What makes Tebow polarizing and popular? It isn’t his job as Denver’s quarterback. Rather, it’s the way he does his job. He stands out from other quarterbacks in the NFL because of his faith and his will to win. As one announcer recently said of Tebow, “He’ll do anything it takes to lead his team to victory and his teammates know that. They’ll fight extra hard for him because of that.”

Tebow isn’t the biggest QB … or the one with the best arm … or the one who everyone said would be a future Hall of Famer when the Broncos drafted him. In fact, many rolled their eyes when Denver spent a first-round pick on the University of Florida quarterback. Yet two years later, here he is, leading his team deep into the playoffs.

The Denver quarterback has also been praised and put under the microscope for his profession of faith during his team’s incredible run to make the playoffs, then beat the Steelers in the first round. Granted, Tebow is not the only athlete to give thanks to his Maker after scoring a touchdown, earning a win, or being interviewed after the game, but it certainly seems that he has received the most attention for it. Heck (forgive my language), his faith has even caused “Tebowing” to become a word recognized by UrbanDictionary.com, which defines Tebowing as, “to get down on a knee and start praying, even if everyone else around you is doing something completely different.”

Tebow’s coach, John Fox, paid his quarterback perhaps the ultimate compliment when he said, “He’s real. He walks the walk. A guy like that in today’s society, in my mind, ought to be celebrated, not scrutinized to the level that he is.”

Perhaps it’s that last line of the UrbanDictionary.com definition that makes people celebrate and scrutinize Tebow the most. He does what he feels he should do, even if everyone else around him is doing something different. What if we each did what we were supposed to do everyday, even if everyone else around us was doing something different? How would it change our outlook and the way we are viewed by others?

You don’t have to be an NFL quarterback to make an impact on the world around you.

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