Tebow

Daily I try to glance over current events to have some awareness of life outside my own little world. In doing that, I have been intrigued by an online firestorm over a coming Super Bowl commercial.

Many of us are fascinated by Super Bowl commercials, and the ads hold more interest than the game itself. Millions of dollars (30-seconds cost between 2-3 million dollars) are spent for these ads, with next-day conversations and controversies over which was the best, most memorable, funniest, etc.

While professional football is not my passion, I do like local sports. I also like some college athletics—they still love the game. Professional sports, not so much. Professional football also got under my skin some years ago when they were on strike for, if I remember right, the base pay being only around $300,000. Since base pay for teachers, who are shaping the future, make less than 10% of that, I wasn’t impressed. I know, getting hit by 250 pound thugs should be worth something, but a contribution to tomorrow should count for more.

Okay, off my soapbox and back to the Super Bowl ad causing such a stir. It has to do with Florida Gators football superstar and Heisman Trophy winner, Tim Tebow and his mother telling about her choice to give him life rather than abort him. I Googled “Tebow super bowl ad” and got 495,000 results.

As best I understand, Focus on the Family purchased time (very expensive time) during the Super Bowl to tell the Tebow story as an encouragement to families. Here is a quote from Yahoo Sports – rivals.com

“The former Florida quarterback and his mother will appear in a 30-second commercial during the Super Bowl… The Christian group Focus on the Family says the Tebows will share a personal story centering on the theme “Celebrate Family, Celebrate Life. …a message chronicling Pam Tebow’s 1987 pregnancy. After getting sick during a mission trip to the Philippines, she ignored a recommendation by doctors to abort her fifth child and gave birth to Tim…Tebow also has been very involved in his family’s Christian-based ministry.”

So why the firestorm? It’s neither popular nor politically correct to advocate a Christian view in our country today. I guess it’s okay to advertise with people in their underwear by Dockers and CareerBuilders; or for Flo personal television, Dr. Pepper with KISS, Coca Cola with LivePositively, and of course, Bud Light etc., but not for choosing life.

Tim has been known for wearing scripture eyeblack strips during games, and this young man and his family have sought to stand firm in their faith through some very public trying times. It’s hard for adults to stand up for their beliefs, even in our small town; I can’t imagine having my life and faith challenged on 495,000 websites.

Aaron Tippin released a song in 1991 that says:

♫You've got to stand for something
or you'll fall for anything
You've got to be your own man
not a puppet on a string
Never compromise what's right
and uphold your family name
You've got to stand for something
or you'll fall for anything.