Unsinkable No Matter What

Friday, September 27, 2013

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Folks have just kept burying Tim Tebow, but he keeps coming back. A while back, the likeable but controversial quarterback was summarily cut by the New York Jets. And for a while no other NFL team signed him. Game over. Then Bingo! Suddenly he was signed by the New England Patriots. Now, he still had to earn a spot on the team, but once again, the Comeback Kid had come back.

I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Unsinkable No Matter What."

Now, I'm no football talent scout. But I do know a guy who's an un-Titanic when I see one. What's that? Well, that's someone who's truly unsinkable. And I saw that unsinkability again during Tebow's roller coaster ride in football. And I've seen what it takes to be the thermostat that sets the temperature; not the thermometer that rises and falls with the circumstances.

First, no whining, victim-think, self-pity, blaming - they're all guaranteed to sink you and to diminish you. At no time was there any of that - no matter the dark clouds. Like the Bible says, "Do everything without complaining...shine like stars" (Philippians 2:16). There was no trash talk about the team that cut him. He said, "It was a learning opportunity for me. There was a lot that I'll take from it and a lot of relationships that I've built."

And then here's another key to unsinkability: dwell on the good stuff. Actually Tim Tebow found some meaning, some purpose in his stormy time with the Jets by looking at what he gained, not just what he lost. That's good glasses to look through. Oh, and there's something else - don't stand still. Keep pushing yourself to be stronger and better. Even when - well maybe especially when there seems to be no immediate incentive. If life quits on you, don't you quit on life.

They say Tim Tebow used his downtime to sharpen his passing game. No sitting, moping or resting on his pretty impressive laurels. Nope. Use life's "sidelinings" to get better than you've ever been. Go with the Bible's advice; that word for today from the Word of God in Ecclesiastes 7:14, "When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider; God has made the one as well as the other."

So no cruise control; just full speed ahead as a parent, a spouse, educationally, or professionally. Figure out where there's room for improvement and do whatever it takes to turn a weakness into strength. Oh yeah, and then there's that pride thing. Don't be full of yourself. Up or down, you hear Tim Tebow talking about always learning, always improving. And he always seems to have time for the hurting, the little guys. The rare kind of guy who makes you feel like you're the important person, not him. That's the kind of person you want to be around, whether they're winning or losing.

There's a lot of talk about sports figures being role models, and Tim Tebow's one. Showing us how you can be unsinkable, even when life stinks, because you're not controlled by your environment. You're controlled by your in-vironment. And sometimes looking at a guy who does life with poise and grace makes you look at yourself and say, "I'm not handling my roller coaster so well am I?"

The disappointments, the defeats, the disasters - they don't cause our dark side. They expose it. And that's a good thing if it makes us want to change. Maybe to even say that life-changing word we don't like to say, "Help!" Tim Tebow's done that. See, he quarterbacks football teams but not his life. He's made it very clear that he's left calling the signals to Jesus. So have I, because I can trust Him more than I can trust me. Oh, I've tried running things and I haven't liked the outcomes, the hurt I've caused, the messes I've made.

Fact is, we weren't meant to quarterback our life. The Bible's says, I was "created by Him and for Him" (Colossians 1:16). But while I'm perfectly willing to let God run the universe, I'll run me, thank You." Which means I'm living with my back turned to the One I was made by and made for.

I'd never have found my way to God if it hadn't been for Jesus. It says "He died for sinners that He might bring us safely home to God" (1 Peter 3:18). That's how I know He loves me; how I knew I could trust Him, and so can you. This One who calls my plays beat the opponent that's beaten everyone else - death. I'm unsinkable because He is. I belong to Him. If you're not sure you do, would you join me at our website so we can get together on that? ANewStory.com.

Jesus changes lives. Jesus changes people. Jesus changes eternities.