Black Friday, Captain America, and Tim Tebow

A week ago today was Black Friday. Probably my least favorite day of the year, and I don't even go within thirty miles of a retail store. It's the day that immediately follows Thanksgiving (and just two days before the start of Advent), and the day when people completely lose their minds. What would posses someone to use pepper spray on other shoppers? Trample someone on the floor of a superstore? Leave every shred of dignity behind in order to save a few dollars on things that they probably don't need anyway? In addition to the obvious answer - a materialistic culture bereft of kindness and godliness - there is another that I think plays into the madness that descends once a year: A total lack of respect for mankind. People don't respect themselves, much less each other, so they do ruthless and humiliating things to save a little bit of money.

Just take a few sips of the following tonic to help wash away that Black Friday ickiness - absolutely free! These two men, one fictional and the other very much alive, have a lot in common: They respect themselves and people in general, respect women, and even command the respect of others. The two I'm talking about are Tim Tebow, quarterback of the Denver Broncos, and Steve Rogers (Chris Evans), better known as Captain America.

Tebow is the most controversial topic in the NFL right now. Some analysts think he's capable of great things. Others think he'll burn out like a match and go down in history as just another flop. Judging from their lack of public support for him, Tebow's GM and head coach think the latter. But Tebow respectfully disagrees. He has more respect for his critics than to get involved in a cat fight with them. He also respects himself enough to maintain confidence in his ability. He just goes about his business - winning football games - every week, regardless of whether critics have fried him to a crisp. Rogers is faced with a similar situation. Up until he frees the POWs taken by Hydra, there are conflicting opinions about him, too. Sergeant Carter (Hayley Atwell) believes firmly that Rogers is capable of more than just selling war bonds. But Colonel Phillips (Tommy Lee Jones), Rogers' commanding officer for a time, says that Rogers isn't good enough to take on Hydra single-handedly. Rogers disagrees, but he respects the decision. However, he also has enough respect for himself to go out on his own to rescue the POWs. As Sgt. Carter tells him, he isn't just a performing monkey, and he knows it.

Another similarity between the two is their respect for women. With Tebow it's pretty obvious; much has been made of his virginity. He has never had a "girlfriend" in the unfortunate modern use of the term. Similarly, Rogers has never even danced with a girl, and barely had any conversations with them. He tells Sgt. Carter that he's been "waiting... for the right partner." I don't know what Tebow has said on this subject, but I would imagine he has the same attitude. He's saving himself for marriage - for the right partner.

Finally, both have the ability to command the respect of others. Tebow's teammates truly believe that he's a winner and that, as long as he's on the field, they have a legitimate shot at winning. In fact, they try harder simply because he's playing. He brings out the best in people because they respect him - his work ethic, his unwavering faith in God, and his confidence in himself and his team. To some extent, this is the same with Rogers. Most people respect him because of his prowess in battle. Others, like his best friend, Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), respect him because they see in him the heart of the little guy too dumb to walk away from a fight. Either way, Rogers is clearly respected by nearly all who meet him.

Respect. There's way too little floating around in the world today - particularly on Black Friday. Hopefully the kids growing up in the Tebow/superhero years will take lessons from the quarterback and Rogers. Alike in many ways, these two are two of the best role models one could hope to find for the young men of America. Maybe their respect for themselves and others, their respect for women, and their ability to command the respect of others will give these youngsters a counter example to balance out the insanity of Black Friday.