Heroes

Tuesday, May 26, 2020 Some material taken from These All Died in Faith by Van Houser
Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, Hebrews 12:1

Heroes In LifeWho is your hero?  It is not a trick question – yes, I know the Sunday school answer is Jesus. But without a doubt God places people in our lives to champion us along the way.  He knows how important it is to have others believe in us and to advocate for us and to encourage and challenge us along life’s path. Do not attribute those special people that cross your path as coincidence. 

Maybe you have many heroes in your life that have influenced you throughout different seasons of your life.  Heroes in our lives are those who believed in us enough to sacrifice something of themselves in the hope that our lives would be benefited.  Teachers, coaches, Sunday school teachers, pastors, family, friends, neighbors, or others we meet in the most random (not) circumstances all can be heroes in our lives.  

Real life heroes care enough to get down into the middle of our life crises and carry us until we can walk again. They are the first call, our go to person when we are overwhelmed and just need to talk it out and find some strength. They are the ones that see clearly when we cannot see the forest for the trees.  They pray for us and with us, they text and call to check on us, they meet us and spend time with us when we need them, and just to be a friend when things are better. They are there for us when no one else could be or chose not to be. Our lives are so much richer for our friends and the people who believe in us. 

Will anyone say I was their hero? 
The requirements for being a hero are more about your heart than your hands. Christ is our example and He stands as our greatest Unsung Hero. While we try to impress the world with our talents, the greatest impression we will make is on those we interact with every day. Now it’s your turn to sit in the class and make sure a child knows the Word of God, to invest your life not just your money in someone less fortunate and to share your resources for the kingdom to grow.

Whose life can you make a difference in? Look around you and see if there is someone you can be a hero to.  Maybe there is someone God has laid on your heart and you are ignoring it because they are not the easiest person to have a relationship with. Do not discard an assignment from God. He does give us assignments and some of them we don’t want, but when we obey Him and invest in the hard assignments He gives us, we will be blessed and changed, and that is the outcome He is planning. Yes, that difficult person we are pouring into will hopefully be touched by God’s hand in their life through us, but we get a blessing too. It is an honor and privilege to disciple, mentor, encourage, and walk beside others. That is as much God’s whole plan for the church as is witnessing to unbelievers, but if our cups are not full, we cannot be effective for Him. Bible study, prayer, and worship with other believers all are part of what fills our cups so that we can keep going, and so we can be the hands and feet of Jesus Christ to those He send our way. 

And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 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. Hebrews 10:24-25

Lara Cook