Momma's, Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to be ... Heroes?

During this time of year, with Mother’s Day a couple of weeks ago, Memorial Day this weekend, and Father’s Day in a couple of weeks... I started thinking about heroes. What is a hero, who are our heroes, where do you find heroes? etc.

It seems that in today's world we put too much emphasis on the celebrity status. We make, or the media makes for us, heroes out of sports figures, actors or other people of fame. This suggests that simply because of their fame they should be revered, regardless of their personal or moral beliefs. I have a problem with this.

So for this article I’ve defined what a hero is to me. The type of person I’d like to see the world admire and respect. In doing this I came to the conclusion that there are two types of heroes: One has the ability and selfless desire to put another’s needs first. The second is one who, by their very nature, can transform or change us. I believe these are the two types of people we should look up to and learn from.

In the first category we find the traditional hero: a war hero, or the person who dashes into a burning building, or forges a swollen river endangering his/her own life to rescue someone else.

I suggest that although these are by my definition heroes, and should be given accolades and recognition, they are no more deserving of the title than the older couple that lives down the street and daily gives of themselves for their fellow neighbors. Perhaps they go shopping for a sick or shut-in friend. Or they drive another to the doctor for an appointment. Or pick them up and take them to church, or dinner or a movie. Or the young boy named Billy Anderson who passed up going fishing with his friends to mow and clean-up an elderly neighbor lady’s yard, (without being asked,) while she was gone for the day. Just to help out,... to show he cared.  

Or the thousands of wonderful people who simply, sincerely, regularly, care.

Heroes come in all shapes and sizes. It’s a shame we so often focus on one spectacular act and often don’t notice the day to day acts of those heroes around us: People who are willing, routinely, to put the needs of others first.

The second type of hero is the one who, by his or her very nature, brings us to a fuller understanding of ourselves and those around us.

Let me give you an example. I perform what I call witnesses of the Apostles. Once while performing Judas Iscariot, a high school boy sitting in the second row kept smiling at me.

Now as you can imagine, there isn’t a lot to smile about in the life of Judas, and certainly not in the way I try to portray him. I found this young fellow very frustrating. The more dramatic I got, the more he seemed to smile. The more intense I got the more he seemed to find humorous. Pretty soon I was directing all my attentions and all of Judas’ emotions at this one boy. (I was determined to win him over.)

After the performance I came back out on stage to answer any questions they had about Judas or my interpretation of him. I was surprised to see that the first hand up was this young man. Part of me didn’t want to call on him because I was sure that he just wanted to make fun or crack a joke.

But very shortly after he started talking I could tell that he was not only very serious but also suffered from some sort of mental impediment.

He stood up and said, "..you know what? I think I must be an Apostle." I asked why. He said, "When you were talking about the Apostles being run out of towns, and being laughed at, and spit at, well that happens to me every day. Everyday at school someone laughs at me or spits at me or chases me. I think they do it because I’m a little different." I remember saying, with a tear in my eye, praise God for how you’re different.

I’ll never forget that incident or that young fellow. And I guarantee I’ll never forget his name, Matthew. He certainly had the right name for an Apostle. Matthew taught me a lesson that day. He opened my eyes to another way of looking at things. Matthew is to me a hero just for being who he is.

I encourage you to look for, acknowledge and try to emulate those heroes around you. Don’t wait for the media to tell you who to like, respect and revere. Listen to your heart. Give credit to the little guy or gal. The man or woman, boy or girl that usually goes unnoticed. The person that is continually putting the needs of others first and/or is by their very nature changing, for the better, those things around them.

I believe there is an ultimate hero. A Person who selflessly gave His life so you might live.

A Person who, without even meeting you, saved you.

A person who figuratively, not only ran into a burning building, but forged a swollen river, and at the same time showed enough care to get you to the hospital, and still had enough time to mow and pick up the lawn in front of your house. "...When you didn’t see another set of footprints...those were the times I was carrying you."

A person who dared to be different, and certainly, by His nature, changed the world around Him for the better. I’m not talking about the greatest home run hitter, the greatest fielder, the greatest three point man or woman, the greatest putter or the greatest actor or actress. I’m talking about simply the greatest, Jesus Christ. I pray that you’ll let Jesus be your hero and let Him open your eyes to the thousands of heroes all around you.

Mommas, don’t let your babies grow up to be just any hero, encourage them to be real heroes.

Respectfully in Christ,

Mark Price