Passion, Commitment and Leadership

So the answer to the question was "He will." As in, yes Tim Tebow will play on Saturday against the LSU Tigers. And while it wasn't his best game, it was good enough. Good enough to beat the Tigers. Good enough to beat the #4 team in the country. Good enough to beat a SEC school on their home field. Good enough to win on a Saturday night in Baton Rouge for the first time in a long time, even with their slightly skewed statistics. His play on the field was good enough.
But what was more impressive is his effect on the rest of his team. There was never any doubt he would play if he could play. The guys on this team know the real Tim Tebow. They know the make up of the man both on and off the field. They know the hype and the reality behind it. Simply put, they know, love and trust Tim Tebow. They knew that if the medical staff said he could go, no one was going to keep Tim from playing. They know so much more that the national talking heads will never know. Because they will never be able to know the Tim Tebow who is the teammate everybody wants to have on their team.
I couldn't help but laugh when ESPN was running the line "Tim Tebow cleared medically to play, decision not yet made as to if he will." Or at least some version of that line was scrolling across the screen. I laughed because earlier in the day, Coach Meyer had said if he was cleared to play, he was going to play. I don't know if even Coach Meyer could have kept Tim off that field. He came back with one goal in mind, a perfect season. I know that Coach has put an end to that kind of talk by the players, but it's the real reason Tim and Brandon Spikes came back. They have a passion to do something that has never been done at the University of Florida. Complete a undefeated and untied season in Football. And Tim wasn't going to leave that in the hands of anyone else if there was any way he could play.
That's what makes Tim Tebow such a great leader. Passion and Commitment to finishing the task before him. That's what makes others want to join him in his quest. That's why he can rally his team like very few others can do. His fellow players know his heart, his passion, and his commitment. And that translates to real leadership. The kind earned in the heat of the battle and the hours of preparation required for greatness. It's not conveyed in a title, or bestowed via position. That kind of leadership wins championships both on and off the field.
I wonder if I would have strapped on the helmet and stuck my head in there if I had the skills and the body Tim does. I like to think of myself as that kind of leader, but there are moments when my passion wanes. There are times when I get tired of doing the right things when the results are not always positive. It's in those moments when I am glad to have a guy like Tim Tebow near me. It's then that the Lord reminds me to "give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." Sometimes the Lord even uses eye black billboards to make His Message known! Thanks Tim!