the five-ten

Being an Asian-American Christian, I’ve read my fair share of Jeremy Lin and Tim Tebow articles, for different reasons.

Sometimes I’m reading out of genuine interest, sometimes it’s just my Facebook feed blowing up with a particular article. 

You know it:  ”OMG, So inspiring” (insert whatever the latest link is here).

But I have to wonder:  Are we actually inspired by these guys?  Or do we simply read/share/re-share because we crave a sense of belonging?  We want to be associated with that which is the latest/greatest, representative in some way of our own heritage, thoughts, and ideals. 

The Merriam-Webster Learner’s Dictionary defines “inspiring” as “causing people to want to do or create something or to lead better lives.”

It’s really interesting to me because when I’m looking at what’s going on with Jeremy Lin, and what already happend with Tim Tebow, the only thing I think it really inspired us to do is buy jerseys and game tickets.

But to lead better lives?  Personally I can’t say I’ve done that.

I’ll go out on a limb here and say that most of the people following Tebow/Lin (and this of course is not a Tebow vs. Lin post) have done not much more than be more conversationally competent in pop-culture.  People know facts and figures about the athletes but how often are we looking at how we can actually lead a better life because of these examples?

What if we do actually look to Tim Tebow’s and Jeremy Lin’s life testimonies and draw genuine inspiration from them?

In the case of Tebow, what we if looked at how he was doubted by Broncos legend John Elway and yet still took the field every Sunday?  Maybe we could understand he drew his confidence and self-worth from something other than the words of others.

What if we looked at how he took every opportunity on his platform to represent for his core beliefs?  Maybe we would be more bold for our convictions and not limit sharing them to a time or a place.

What if we saw how he personally out-worked his teammates and opponents in training and on game days?  Maybe we would stop seeking the shortcuts in life.

What if we looked at how he made time before and after football games to meet disadvantaged children and share time with them?  Or how he visits prisons and schools, proclaiming the Gospel.  Or how his foundation is building a hospital in the Philippines.  Maybe then we could orient and rearrange our lives around things that have longer term impact.

And as for Jeremy Lin, what if we looked at how he was cut by the Warriors, the Rockets, and played in the D-League?  Maybe then we would see the virtue of patience and perseverance to a calling.

What if we saw that despite going to a school not known for producing professional athletes, and despite being of a race that is not known for prolific basketball players, he still has seen success?  Maybe then we would know that our past should not define us.  Or maybe the things that the world sees as our biggest detriments are actually our biggest assets?

For whatever reason you identify with Jeremy Lin or Tim Tebow, let them not be just another anecdote in your life arc.  We’ve collected too many of those.  If you’re truly “Linspired” or a “Tebow-Maniac”, let your life show it with something more than jersey replicas and ticket stubs.  Look at their lives, be challenged and motivated, and be then an inspiration to the ones around you.

1. bobbyslee reblogged this from jumpmonger23
2. brianpan reblogged this from jumpmonger23 and added:

   Thought-provoking….worth

3. jumpmonger23 posted this