Who are your heroes, people you admire for the ways in which they live their lives? I can think of a few. I am inspired by Deitrich Bonhoeffer, a pastor in Germany during WW2 who spoke truth to power and was martyred by the Nazis. I have always admired a young missionary named Jim Elliot who died on an Amazoean river beach in 1955 while trying to take the news of Christ Jesus to a Stong Age tribe who lived in awful violence. His motto decorates my desk –
"He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”
My Mom is a hero to me, even
more so as I become older and realize how much she sacrified for others. After raising
three children, she became a Mom again, by adoption, not once but 10
times! She was still actively mothering
when she died. I seldom heard her complain about preparing meals for a full
table, doing piles of laundry, or trying to make sure that reluctant students
did their homework. She kept a neat home and served actively in the church my
father pastored. Yes, that ‘ordinary’ little woman is a hero to me.
Biblical heroes, men and women who did spectacular things, have their stories recorded to inspire us, too. We make a real mistake when we turn people like David, Moses, and Peter into legendary heroes, forgetting that their choices of faith were made in ‘real life’ situations. Each of them, as well as those modern heroes I mentioned, were not without flow, making mistakes in spite of notable achievements.
David met Goliath on the battlefield and took him with a slingshot and he also committed adultery with one of his general’s wives!
Moses met God on the mountain and brought down the Law and but also struggled with his temper that caused him to murder a man and to miss out on the Promised Land!
Peter led the Church,
preaching a Pentecost message that brought 3000 conversions. He also quivered
in fear before a servant girl and vehemently denied Jesus, on the night of
His trial!
You can be a hero! If you think that means being perfect you’re
sunk already. If you know that it means accepting God’s call and living it out,
day by day, where you are, welcome to the Hall of Heroes of the faith. Let me remind you of what you probably already
know: in the Christian experience we
will know victories that make celebrate and trip-ups that land us flat on our
face.
Real heroes of the faith know that
faithful service is not about their reputation or personal charisma but rather
about God’s covenant love gifted to us through Jesus Christ. Real heroes are ‘becomers’ – changed
day by day into the likeness of Jesus - who are given the Spirit so that they can,
in turn, give good gifts to the people with whom they work and play.
Paul, a genuine hero, points to the source of his strength - "I can do everything through Him who gives me strength." (Philippians 4:13, NIV) In his letter to the Romans he describes the ways that God reveals Himself, the nature of our salvation, and the great grace that is ours in Christ. He leans hard on the unfailing promises of God. But, all those truth recorded in the lines of that wonderful inspired text is more than theological musing. The last three chapters of the letter get down to nitty gritty, daily choices.
Paul reminds those Christians
in Rome (and us!) that we are not just to sit around listening to sermons and
taking Communion; we must become different, in an ordinary way. Why? To pay God
back for His grace? No! Our lives make Him known in a dark world and
causes people to praise Him. "May God, who gives this patience
and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other—each with
the attitude of Christ Jesus toward the other. Then all of you can join
together with one voice, giving praise and glory to God, the Father of our Lord
Jesus Christ." (Romans 15:5-6, NLT)
God is glorified in the ordinary, which makes our lives heroic! What kinds of things are we directed to do for God’s sake? Paul says, “Be good citizens, honoring those who govern, seeing them as God’s servants. Pay your taxes.” He goes on to tell us to “Avoid debt and pay your bills!” Now there’s a novel thought. Yes, our Christianity finds expression in our money!
We are directed to “Love extravagantly! Our only continuing debt being one we feel towards others in love.” “Be holy,” he says. And, I need to quote him directly in this area. "Don’t live in darkness. Get rid of your evil deeds. Shed them like dirty clothes. Clothe yourselves with the armor of right living, as those who live in the light. We should be decent and true in everything we do, so that everyone can approve of our behavior. Don’t participate in wild parties and getting drunk, or in adultery and immoral living, or in fighting and jealousy. But let the Lord Jesus Christ take control of you, and don’t think of ways to indulge your evil desires." (Romans 13:12-14, NLT)
Real heroes don’t go looking
for fights, they build bridges. The Word
teaches us to "Accept Christians who are weak in faith, and don’t argue
with them about what they think is right or wrong." (Romans 14:1, NLT)
Our goal is amplified here - "So then, let us aim for harmony in the
church and try to build each other up." (Romans 14:19, NLT) Bold
love marks God’s heroes who learn to "Accept one another, then, just as
Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God." (Romans 15:7,
NIV)
Suppose we allow ourselves to imagine that our best experience of Christ and service will be found on a ‘missions trip’ to an exotic locale, or leading some ministry where we stand in front of thousands to teach, or developing an outreach to rescue girls from sexual slavery, or some equally noble thing. In that case, we will miss out on doing God’s will right where we are. Most of us will love God best by loving our family, serving in obscurity, refusing temptation, and staying deeply involved with our local church!
Here is the word from the Word
that describes ordinary heroes and I aspire to be one of them. "And so, dear brothers and sisters, I
plead with you to give your bodies to God. Let them be a living and holy
sacrifice—the kind he will accept. When you think of what he has done for you,
is this too much to ask? Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but
let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you
will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and
perfect his will really is." (Romans 12:1-2, NLT)
________
(Video of this
blog at this link)
I dreamed I went to Heaven
You were there with me
We walked upon the streets of gold
Beside the crystal sea
We heard the angels singing
Then someone called your name
You turned and saw this young man
He was smiling as he came
And he said friend
You may not know me now
Then he said but wait
You used to teach my Sunday School
When I was only eight
And ev'ry week you would say a pray'r
Before the class would start
And one day when you said that pray'r
I asked Jesus in my heart
Thank you for giving to the Lord
I am a life that was changed
Thank you for giving to the Lord
I am so glad you gave
Then another man stood before you
He said remember the time
A missionary came to your church
His pictures made you cry
You didn't have much money
But you gave it anyway
Jesus took the gift you gave
That's why I'm here today
One by one they came
Far as the eye could see
Each life somehow touched
By your generosity
Little things that you had done
Sacrifices made
Unnoticed on the earth
In Heaven now proclaimed
I know up in Heaven
You're not supposed to cry
But I am almost sure
There were tears in your eyes
As Jesus took your hand
You stood before the Lord
He said My child look around you
For great is your reward
Thank you for giving to the Lord
I am a life that was changed
Thank you for giving to the Lord
I am so glad you gave
Ray Boltz
© 1988 Gaither Music Company
CCLI License #810055
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