Former NFL Star Shares Love of Christ with Tennessee Inmates
By Movieguide® Contributor
Former NFL star Tim Tebow celebrated the holiday season by sharing God’s love with inmates this year.
“I believe every single one of you have infinite value and worth,” Tebow said to a roomful of inmates in an Instagram video Dec. 22. “And how in our society do we know how much something costs? By what someone is willing to pay for it, right?”
“So how can I possibly say that you have infinite value and worth? Because Jesus who has infinite value and worth gave His life in exchange for yours,” he continued. “And He gave His life in exchange for mine.”
Tebow spoke at the CoreCivic Trousdale Turner Correctional Center in Hartsville, Tennessee. Prison ministry Men of Valor organized the event. It began with worship songs led by a resident band and had over 300 attendees.
Tebow told the inmates he wanted them to know how much God loves them and how valued they are to Him.
“’That whosoever would believe.’ Maybe today that ‘who’ would be you,” Tebow told them. “I don’t know all your stories, but I know that God does. And I know he loves you.”
In his caption, he said, “As the saying goes, ‘Christmas begins what Easter celebrates!’”
READ MORE: HOW GOD SHOWED HIS PRESENCE TO THIS NFL STAR THROUGH REMARKABLE COINCIDENCE
He reflected on how God sent His son down in the form of a human to be born as baby Jesus.
“The angels called it the ‘good news of great joy for all the people!’ (Lk 2:10). And ‘all’ means all! Recently, I had the opportunity to share this good news with those who are often overlooked and written off. But that’s beauty of Christmas — that God, in such humility, came on a rescue mission for every man and woman.”
“No matter what you’ve done or where you’ve been, God loves you and sees you as infinitely valuable. There would be no Easter without Christmas. The birth of Jesus was more than just a swaddle and a manger,” he continued. “It was a sign of hope for the world!”
CoreCivic provides spiritual and practical resources for inmates as they make their way toward societal reintegration.
“This visit from Tim showcases the incredible impact of faith-based initiatives on the lives of these men,” said Damon Hininger, CoreCivic’s president and CEO. “We are proud to partner with Men of Valor to support their work at Trousdale Turner and in CoreCivic facilities across the state [of Tennessee].”
This isn’t the first time God has touched inmates’ hearts through Tebow, and it likely won’t be the last.
In 2019, the Heisman trophy winner dropped by the Alfred D. Hughes prison in Gatesville, TX, at the request of an inmate’s father, who asked Tebow to visit his son.
CBN reported, “Tebow, who was only scheduled to spend a few hours at the prison, ended up spending five hours with the inmates,” sharing God’s message with them.
READ MORE: TIM TEBOW REMINDS US WHAT TRUE LOVE MEANS