Tim Tebow recently stunned the world with an 80 yard touchdown in overtime in the playoffs, yet right after the press conference he was not running around gloating or going to a victory party with his friends. He was talking with a sick girl that he had invited   to the game. The girl’s mother commented to a reporter, “Here he’d just played the game of his life and the first thing he does after his press conference is come find Bailey and ask, ‘Did you get anything to eat?’ He acted like what he’d just done wasn’t anything, like it was all about Bailey” (website citation).

And the world stands shocked and confused. Why would this professional football player who just had the best game of his life be so concerned about someone else? Shouldn’t he be excited about this great game and fame and money?

I am not trying to take anything away from Tim Tebow. I am a big supporter of his, especially since he is a homeschool alum. But what I am saying is, isn’t that what should be expected? I hope my husband and I are teaching our boys to be more concerned about godly things than worldly things. I want them to be contradictory to what the world would see as right.

Isaiah 5:20  Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!

The world says, “Money and fame are the most important things.”
The Bible says things and money do not matter.

The Bible is very clear with its teaching on this.  Paul wrote in 1Timothy 6:10, “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.”

Jesus said in Matthew 6:19-20  “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.”

The world says, “Me, me, me.”
The Bible says caring for others is very important.

James 1:27 “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.”

Our children really like to visit the nursing home and talk with the residents. We hope that by doing this they see the need for caring for people. We try to write letters and visit the sick.  They also try to talk to and make friends with our church senior singles.

1 Peter 4:9 Show hospitality to one another without grumbling.

Romans 12:13 Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.

Our main focus in caring for others this year is going to be hospitality and inviting people into our home. This is something I definitely feel we have lacked in teaching our boys.

The world says, “You can miss church for that game. It’s the playoffs!
The Bible says church attendance comes before any extracurricular activity.

Hebrews 10:25 says, “not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”

I am alarmed by the amount of things that are scheduled during church time. We have missed 4H events, ball games, and Boy Scout functions. One thing I am very proud of is that usually before I can even get it out of my mouth to say that we cannot go to an event, one of my boys will look at me and say, “We cannot go to that, Mom, because we have church.”

My prayer is that since we are teaching them these principles at a young age that they will always be in their hearts. Being contradictory to the world is a good thing! I want them to know that neither money, nor things nor fame are the prize for them to keep their eye on – Heaven is!

By Sharla Orren
Sharla Orren is a graduate of Henderson State University, with a BA in Sociology. She lives in Hope, AR where her husband Robert is the Youth and Family Minister. Sharla spends her days homeschooling her two boys.