Tim Tebow, the quarterback for the Denver Broncos, has been in the news quite a bit in the past few months. Tebow has even become a cultural icon of sorts inspiring a phenomenon called “Tebowing” where people all over the Internet take photos of themselves mimicking his dramatic sideline praying down on one knee.

A few weeks ago over the holidays, Saturday Night Live parodied the young quarterback’s outspoken faith as did the Jimmy Fallon show just last week.

Christians all over the country are talking about Tebow’s public displays of faith and whether they are good or bad for Christianity.

The fascination with Tim Tebow can really be credited to two things…one, of course he’s a very vocal evangelical Christian…but two, because the Bronco’s have had some inspiring wins – people simply see Tim Tebow as a winner.

It’s been said that everyone loves a winner…but why? Why is everyone so concerned with winning and what does winning really mean? Do people mistakenly see Tim Tebow’s display of faith as simply a way to “win”? Does God really cause everyone who loves Him and proclaims His name to win?

Life is not about winning the way the world thinks you should win.

Tim Tebow and his faith have been in the spotlight because of his wins, but does that mean God falls off of His throne when Tim and the Broncos have a loss? Certainly not!

Christianity is not about “winning”, it is about God’s will and seeking righteousness. God wants you to do the right thing even if you won’t be rewarded for it.

The world loves a winner because they assume the winner is doing everything right, but that isn’t always the case as the world’s standards are all about the earthly rewards. Christians mustn’t get caught up in the ways of this world because the goals and purpose for the believer are very different.

2 Corinthians 10:3-6
3 For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. 4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.

Many in the world thought that when I was hung on the cross 2000 years ago, God lost…this could not be further from the truth.

Sports teams win games for all sorts of reasons, but mostly because the individuals playing them, train hard and play the game hard, often denying themselves certain pleasures to keep themselves in prime athletic shape.

An athlete who is an atheist can win games. A non-believer, who is a good businessman, can be successful but God wants you to win different…God wants you to prosperous and successful in the things of God.

Scripture says that success comes from meditating and putting into practice the word of God.

Joshua 1:8
8 Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.

For the Christian it is not just about overcoming adversity on the gridiron, it is not about being the best sales person or being successful in business.

God wants you not to win in the world but to overcome the world. The victory, the true win is battling the demons of doubt in a world that mocks you, pushing through the fog of pain and lies to stand in faith proclaiming the salvation of God.

This can only come from being born of God.

1 John 5:4-5
4 for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.