Jeremy Lin Gives God The Glory

“Linsanity” is hitting the country just as hard, if not harder than “Tebowmania,” and if you don’t know what we’re talking about, then you have some Googling to do! Jeremy Lin, the breakout point guard for the New York Knicks, seems to be all anyone wants to talk about lately, and for good reason. Lin came from nowhere as he ignited the Knicks, a team that has had a rough start to the NBA season, with headline-grabbing plays like last night’s game-winning 3-pointer in Toronto. But, even as the country continues to get caught up in “Linsanity,” Jeremy Lin simply continues to give glory to God.

Lin, a second-year point guard who graduated from Harvard, is one of the few Asian-American NBA players in the history of basketball. His story of rising from an “NBA D-league nobody” to “basketball superstar” is gaining international attention. Even NBA Commissioner David Stern is talking about Lin, calling his meteoric rise a "phenomenon," according to USA Today*. What’s even more interesting is that Lin is a devout Christian who regularly gives thanks to God, just like another popular Christian athlete who has received heavy media attention, Tim Tebow. Between these two famous Christian athletes, we’re spotting a trend that we hope continues to catch on.

Broncos quarterback, Tim Tebow, is regularly quoted in major media outlets across the country about his Christian background and religious beliefs. Like “Linsanity,” “Tebowmania” was all anyone wanted to talk about a few weeks ago. Now two weeks into the “Linsanity,” words like “Linning” and “InLincible” are everywhere. In fact, ChristianMingle.com even bought the domain name ChristianLingle.com. While puns on Lin’s last name are catching on fast, what’s catching on even faster is Lin’s excitement for the Lord. After last Saturday night’s win, Lin Tweeted, “Gutsy win...5 in a row! This team is so unselfish and has so much heart. Love playing with them! God is good!”

Thanks to athletes like Jeremy Lin and Tim Tebow, and their love for Christianity, our future generations have positive Christian role models to admire. And that’s a reason to give thanks! Considering there are so many popular culture icons who take a negative or ungodly approach to their work, e.g., Nicki Minaj’s offensive Grammy performance last weekend that included a reference to an exorcism and featured dancers praying to each other’s crotches. In protest, the Catholic League is calling the display 'vulgar' and demanded an apology from Minaj.

As a welcome reprieve from the unfortunate abundance of depravity and provocation in pop-culture, Jeremy Lin’s journey from rags to riches and his inspirational story have tugged on the heartstrings of some famous fellow Christians. "God Bless Jeremy Lin," tweeted Manny Pacquiao, a professional boxer and, like Lin, an athlete unashamed of his Christian faith. "Jeremy Lin-Point God For The New York Knickerbockers," tweeted Spike Lee. The famous director was obviously playing on both Lin's position with the Knicks and his astounding athleticism on the basketball court. But Lin, the humble hot shot, consistently deflects the praise to God, which we find simply “lincredible.”

*http://www.usatoday.com/sports/basketball/nba/story/2012-02-14/Lin-carrying-Knicks-and-creating-a-14-million-brand/53092494/1