Something That Matters

"Tim Tebow is America's most famous unemployed athlete." Since his release from the New York Jests, the Heisman Trophy winner has been without a team. Most individuals would be devastated and perhaps even be bracing for ultimate disaster. But not Tebow.

Last week, during a speech at Lake Michigan College, the jilted quarterback said this about his future: "What I want to do with my life is impact lives. When a kid in a hospital is fighting for his life and I'm trying to win a football game, what really matters? This game isn't as important as a lot of us make it out to be. If I can give him a little bit of hope, I can do something that matters. That's what I want my legacy to be about. That's how I want to be remembered."

He may already be getting his wish. A published survey recently named him America's most influential athlete. Forbes explains Tebow's significance: "His clean living and public religious values make him a role model for many, even if they render him polarizing in some quarters."

Tebow commented on the survey: "That's a huge honor. I see it as a great responsibility to be a role model for future generations. That's something I care about more than winning football games. If I can take the game of football and can transcend football—go to hospitals and make kids smile—I'll be doing things that matter."

I applaude the young man's spiritual maturity and higher undertanding of what's important in life. And it makes me ask myself, "What lesser things do I allow to push their way into the spotlight of my life?" "What am I doing to advance the Kingdom of God?" Am I investing the best of me in something that matters for eternity?