To a Struggling Generation, Christian Tim Tebow Offers 'Purpose' Over Empowerment

Tim Tebow has a message, and it’s not one often heard.

The Heisman Trophy winner, first-round NFL draftee, former pro baseball player, and ESPN contributor has a new book, Mission Possible: Go Create a Life That Counts.

Speaking to Fox News Digital Wednesday, he explained the idea behind its release.

“The world can be a place that can tell you a lot of things — things about money, fame and power,” he said.

But that won’t bring happiness. He hopes to point people toward something that can.

“[I] wanted this book to be encouraging to people, and for each of us to know that we have a mission — that there is purpose for your life, there is significance for your life… … [I] believe that every single person on this earth has a purpose.”

“I think, sometimes,” he continued, “as we go about our days, it’s just so easy to get caught up in the things that don’t matter.”

Indeed — our world seems stuck in the mire of meaningless. We’re surrounded by messages pushing us toward pride; empowerment; attention.

In other words, self-focus.

Not long ago, such things were considered dead ends.

Tim favors the old pursuits.

Serving one’s purpose, he explained, means serving others:

“[T]he world is going to tell you to choose…instant gratification. … But in the book, I share my thoughts about living for eternity… And so much of that is focused on people, and on how we treat others. It’s about how we can love people, how we can make a difference for other people.”

The 35-year-old talked of taking and giving:

“In our economy, in order to have more, you take more. But in God’s economy — you give more.”

Servitude is certainly the road less traveled.

These days, rather than giving so we may receive, we’re told to speak our commands to the “universe” and watch the manifestation of our might.

It almost calls to something from long ago:

[I]n the last days, perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power.

Are we there?

I’ve shared similar thoughts before:

We’re living in the age of the selfie stick. Across a global electronic miracle, we post photos of ourselves on pages created by ourselves to showcase…ourselves. …

Belief in a higher power is on the decline. And with that goes one’s Greater Purpose.

Where, then, travels our faith? In lieu of a Creator, is it transferred to ourselves? That can’t be good for the soul.

What’s the exceptional alternative to arrogance? Humility. The golden rule. “Love thy neighbor as thyself.”

It may not foster empowerment, but it grows within us something superior: fulfillment.

In Christianity, there was once a saying: “JOY” is “Jesus, Others, Yourself” — consideration of the three, in that order.

Years ago, I knew someone in Hollywood — an actor; a model. He had reasons to put himself first. Yet he bore a tattooed reminder: “I Am Last.”

I don’t expect that tattoo’s now a popular choice.

Such an insignia might rightly fit Tim Tebow. Or at least the person he aspires to be:

“I believe that the most fulfilled we’ll ever be in life is when we spend our time on things that are not focused on ‘me’… That’s what I want to have, a life that is focused on making other people’s lives better, and focused on eternity.”

He hopes his message can reach a generation encumbered by emptiness:

“Especially for young people who get lonely or who may be feeling lonely today, I want them to know that you don’t have to spend your life comparing yourself to other people. You don’t have to spend your life isolated, or feeling alone, or that nobody believes in you.”

“There is a God who believes in you,” he offered. “You are loved so much — and I just want to encourage people that they were created to be who they are and that their life matters very, very much.”

Not a very popular sentiment at all. But perhaps, more than ever, a needed one.

-ALEX