“TIM TEBOW WAS ASKED ABOUT PEOPLE NOT LIKING HIM; NOW HIS INSPIRING RESPONSE IS GOING VIRAL“ (Mike Oz, Yahoo Sports, February 18, 2019)

Tim Tebow, minor league baseball player in the New York Mets organization, may go on to the major leagues this year. Tebow does his best to be his best, and he intentionally helps many others especially through his foundation. However, there seem to be some who don’t like him no matter what he does.

I think the biggest reason for that is because they don’t measure up to a standard he strives to meet. Rather than raise themselves up they had rather tear him down. Tim Tebow dares to stand for his principles, he genuinely strives to make a difference, and he hopes to inspire others to do and be their best.

While at Mets camp one recent weekend Tebow was asked about people not liking him. His response was so powerful that sports blogger Mike Oz said it was “like right out of a book of inspirational quotes.” I share it today, because I think Tebow is one sports figure worthy of being quoted and is a good example to kids today — to all of us! Here’s what he had to say….

“It’s really about keeping perspective and not letting other people define you, because they sure want to. Shoot, I try to encourage young people all the time to not let the world or outside sources define you, because you are always going to have critics and naysayers and people that are going to tell you that you won’t, that you can’t, that you shouldn’t. Most of those people are the people that didn’t, that wouldn’t, that couldn’t.

Don’t be defined by the outside sources. You go after your dreams. Succeeding or failing is not making it to the bigs, or it’s not necessarily fulfilling that. It’s having to not live with regret because I didn’t try. I just feel for all the young people who don’t go after something, because they are so afraid of failing that you are going to live with a lot more regret than if you would’ve and you failed. I’m very passionate about that.

I think the reason people don’t go after things is because how much you will be criticized. What if I fall flat on my face? Fear and doubt and all these things creep in. I just don’t believe that is the healthiest way to live. I don’t want to have to live with fear or doubt everyday regardless of what everybody here says about me. It doesn’t define me.

I’m grateful that doesn’t define me. There is one thing that defines me and that’s what God says about me. Besides that, I get to go live out my dreams and help as many people along the way as possible.” (Tim Tebow)

Lots of people are taking note of Tebow’s words. In fact the video of his comments received one million views by that Sunday night, two million by the following Monday morning, and was rapidly climbing. Wouldn’t it be nice if Tim Tebow’s attitude spread as easily as his words have gone viral?

I agree with Mike Oz’s assessment: “Whether Tebow ultimately becomes a successful baseball player in the big leagues remains to be seen. But there’s no arguing that his dedication and attitude are at an All-Star level.”

“Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me.” (Matthew 5:11)

“And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” (Colossians 3:17)

“Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity.” (Titus 2:7)

“And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” (Galatians 6:9)

“Let all that you do be done in love.” (I Corinthians 6:14)

According to Arkansas’ KATV News, there’s a men’s track & field coach who admits his “mind is blown.” This describes Coach Chris Bucknam’s reaction to a sophomore sprinter for the Arkansas Razorbacks.

Maybe it’s not that unusual for a coach to be impressed by or even awed by an extraordinary athlete. While Hunter Woodhall is an extraordinary athlete, he’s clearly an unusual one. Woodhall is an athlete who happens to be the first double amputee to earn an NCAA Division I scholarship in track and field.

Woodhall explains a greater purpose than winning races, “This whole journey and this whole reason I’m in college is to show people what’s possible.”

I believe what’s possible in his life will bring inspiration and hope to many — from athletic hopefuls to amputees needing a dose of hope and lots of folks in between.

As a two-time Paralympic medalist, Woodhall achieved first team all-American honors at the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) Outdoor Championships last spring while competing with traditional (non-amputee) runners. He already has earned a first place finish and has reached his own personal best indoors this winter.

He has earned such athletic success despite being a double amputee. Both his legs were amputated below the knee when he was a baby due to underdeveloped fibula (from knee to ankle).

Woodhall wisely claims, “No matter what situation you’re born with, no matter what situation you’re in in life, you’re the only one that can stop yourself from accomplishing your goals.”

He competed in several sports including skiing, soccer, and football before committing to track. Woodhall explained, “When I got my first pair of running legs, it’s just like this feeling of freedom. It’s hard to explain.”

When he chose to start sprinting in high school, there were doubters about his potential to win.

He admitted, “It was just people being content that I was showing up. ‘The kid without legs was running,’ and I would kind of get the sympathy clap.”

Doubters soon witnessed this unusual runner surpassing all expectations to win. Spectators watched him run and win! They watched him run faster and faster to win again and again! They watched as Woodhall ran to become state champion and as he kept running to become a state superstar.

There seemed to be no stopping him, so next he wanted to run in college competitions, however he needed scholarship offers. University of Arkansas happened to be “one of only a handful of power programs bold enough to recruit him.”

Woodhall understood, “It was really just a lack of knowledge of the situation. No one without legs has ever ran division one.”

Coach Bucknam noted his speed, of course, but he perceived that Woodhall had more to offer than speed alone. In addition were his mental fortitude and confidence.

Bucknam explained, “You gotta take some risks anyways if you want to be good, right? We were willing to take a risk with him.”

Woodhall liked what he saw at U of A and decided, “From my visit, being on campus, just the whole entire experience showed me this is the place I need to be. These people are going to fight for you.”

Bucknam admired not only Woodhall’s speed but also his boldness to compete in the SEC (Southeast Conference).

Woodhall recognized, “If you want to be the best, you gotta go to where the people are the best. You gotta beat the best,”

NCAA granted Woodhall special permission from the NCAA (think waiver) to compete with traditional runners. He struggled during his freshman season last winter, but this season is bringing improvement.

“He’s an NCAA all-American, and we just know the sky is the limit now,” Bucknam commented.

Striving to reach or exceed that limit seems to be something Woodhall is motivated to do for others. “If there’s somebody in the stands that maybe doesn’t believe in themselves or for whatever reason if they can see me run or whatever else I do, if I can inspire them to say, ‘you know what, let me go do something,’ that’s special to me…. That means more than times, medals, places, anything like that.”

Woodhall’s amazing attitude is full of hope… hope to run… hope to win… hope to inspire…. He’s an example to others who need hope to get in life’s race and maybe even dream of winning their own races. I think Hunter Woodhall is a champion worth cheering on — both on the track and in life.

(Quotes of Hunter Woodhall and Coach Chris Bucknam are from KATV News)

As I share Hunter Woodhall’s story I am reminded of the following verses that inspire me. “…let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:1, 2)

I am proud of Hunter’s amazing attitude as well as his athletic success. He definitely has potential to be an even greater sports star, and I anticipate seeing his star shine brighter before dimming. My prayer for him is that he will succeed not in races but more importantly in life. To me that means he’ll finish well by obtaining the reward that God has for him at the end of life’s race.

In the meantime I’ll be cheering him on. Run, Hunter, run!

Tag: attitude

TIM TEBOW: HOPE TO LET GOD DEFINE