How to Become a Hero
We love stories of great heroes.
I’m not talking about popular culture’s obsession with superheroes. Frankly, I get bored with the whole Marvel Universe cast of superheroes with their superhero skills fighting other superheroes in superhero battles. The longer a superhero battle lasts, the more super bored I get. All I can think about is the guy on the sidewalk whose car the Hulk just picked up to throw at El Flamo (or whoever the villain of the week is). Hey! I just made my last payment on that car!
I prefer the stories of real people, men and women who did something truly heroic. It’s easy to make a story where the character is capable of anything. Let’s give him the power to … I don’t know … shoot pennies out of his wrists! (Don’t roll your eyes at me. Someone got paid for that one. He’s one among many lame superheroes in print. Here’s my “favorites.”)
Give me characters who do real things. They can even do something ordinary. It may take courage to do what they do, but that’s what makes them heroic. Given a choice between a run-of-the-mill movie and one based on true events, I’ll chose the one with real people.
The Bible is full of stories of real people. It has its share of despicable characters, but it gives us plenty of men and women who were heroic in what they did. Hebrews 11 points to many of these. Hebrews 11 is all about faith, and the writer gave us multiple examples of men and women who were heroic because they lived by faith.
Faith? Heroic?
Faith is heroic. Faith is taking God at His word, trusting, and taking that one step because God said so, even though the path is not yet clear—and that takes courage. So, yes, faith and courage go hand-in-hand.
- It took faith and courage for Noah to build a boat, preach about a coming flood, and shut the ark’s door amid the derision of the people on the outside. That’s heroic in my book.
- It took faith and courage for Abraham to hold a knife over his son’s heart, even though this was the son God gave him in order to become a great nation. That’s heroic.
- It took faith and courage for Moses to go before the ruler of Egypt and make the preposterous demand that all the Hebrew slaves be set free. That’s heroic.
Hebrews 11 is often called faith’s hall of fame, and these people are lifted up as great heroes of the faith. But who can live up to their level of courage and be a hero of faith?
You can.
Look again at the men and women among their heroes of the faith.
- Abel simply gave God his best (Heb. 11:4)
- Enoch walked with God (v. 5)
- Rahab “welcomed the spies in peace” (v. 31).
In God’s eyes, they were no less heroic. What make all these people heroic was they took God at His word and trusted Him. That’s it. No Stan Lee inspired superpower. They simply trusted God—and there’s no greater power than the One they trusted!
Do something heroic today. Trust God. That’s all I’m asking: trust Him. But it will take courage.
- Like Abel, give God your best today—but it’ll take courage to give God your best when the culture around you is encouraging you to cut corners.
- Like Enoch, let God walk with You today—but it’ll take courage to keep walking with God when a smartphone is an arm’s reach away to distract you with anything and everything of this world.
- Like Rahab, show hospitality and Christ-centered kindness to those you encounter today—but it’ll take courage to love others when the world calls you a fool for not looking out for yourself first.
Be heroic and simply trust God. You won’t even need a cape.
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This post supports the study “Does It Call You to Trust God?” in Bible Studies for Life and YOU.
Podcast
Join Lynn Pryor and Chris Johnson as they discuss this topic:
https://ministrysites.s3.amazonaws.com/podcasts/bsfl_adults/BSFL_ADULTS_WIN23_U2S4.mp3
