Why We Must Struggle

If we have not struggled
as hard as we can
at our strongest,
how will we sense
the shape of our losses
or know what sustains
us longer or name
what change costs us,
saying how strange
it is that one sector
of the self can step in
for another in trouble,
how loss activates
a latent double, how
we can feed
as upon nectar
upon need?

Excerpt from Say Uncle, copyright ©1991by Kay Ryan

(Dedicated to my thinking friends in the HPHS Class of 1983)

Tebow top ten list

Sunday 12.11.2011:

I saw another Tebow miracle tonight, and at our house we can’t stop talking about this remarkable young man. But what makes him different than any other professional athlete interviewed at the end of the game?

What about his "persona" seems to lift the Broncos to a higher level of performance, if not at least in the fourth quarter?

What he lacks in pure skills he more than makes up with team leadership, confidence under pressure, humility in success, fierce competitiveness, and an other-worldly ability to rally the troops to not quit.

Watching Tebow interviewed after the victory (7th in a row, 5th coming from behind) over Chicago made me think that his interviews in postgame are very different than one normally sees. (My top ten list how, below)

10.  He seems shocked that he won again. Tebow claims the other guys on the offensive side of the ball make him look better than he really is. Really?!

9.  His smile starts the interview off with a disarming glow.

8.  He acknowledges the Lord Jesus Christ first, before he answers the initial question.

7.  Tebow’s overall attitude is one of sincere thankfulness, not "expectation."  He is evidence that God can make even weak men successful if that is God's will. (other examples: David, Joseph, Moses, Peter). But does God have anything at all to do with the NFL?

6.  After the first question, about 80% of viewers are uncomfortable, but is it because this sort of attitude is so unusual?!

5.  The other players are given credit, not his performance, even though the other players are not asked the questions.

4.  Tebow assumes that teamwork is the higher calling resulting in the success of the last 8 weeks, not his own role as the most important position on the field.

3.  He uses jargon like “belief” “faith” “special” “god bless you” “encouragement” “team” (these are words that most professional athletes do not use!)

2. “Christianity is like smoking," said Larry Taunton, "You can do it, but only in the designated areas. Don't bring it into the public arena.” (see #6 above)

But the number one reason the Tebow effect is so interesting:

1. People are praying for this young man. The power of prayer is subversive, anti-worldly, and mysteriously engaging. Thinking prayer is worthwhile takes faith, and watching the secular world blanch at Tebow is almost as much fun as watching his comebacks!

©Mark H. Pillsbury