DEVOTIONAL: On being a Christian HERO
By Pastor Darryl George
Mechanicsville Baptist Church
There are many cartoon and movie heroes our children, grandchildren and neighbors see on TV and in print. But I wonder have we ever been challenged to be the Christian hero they see. To make an impression they will remember. To be the servant that helped them through difficult times. To have the character they know and trust. Let us start with a deeper understanding of a hero. A hero (by definition) is a person who is admired for their courage, achievements and noble qualities. When I was a child, I had heroes I watched on TV. The Lone Ranger always came just in the nick of time to save the day. Then of course Popeye was always Olive’s hero when he had his spinach! As a teenager I can remember a hero wrestling coach who would spend time talking to me when I needed an uplift. As a young adult my heroes came in quite a different form made up of two people. The first Christian hero was a roommate I shared a house with. This was the first Christian friend I ever had. He invited me to his church and shared The Gospel with me. I found his character and morals so pure and different. My next hero was a 22-year-old Christian woman I started dating. She also invited me to church and shared the Word of God with me. Her character and purity again I looked up to. Both of these were a light in my dark world. (“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” – Matthew 5:16) The young man I soon started to go to his church and had a life-changing experience when I put my faith in Jesus Christ. That was almost 30 years ago. The young woman I soon asked to be my wife. We have now been married 28 years. Three years after putting my faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. (“But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior. – Titus 3:4-6) I came to my (hero) Pastor Ron and again knew my life was in transition and needed guidance. I told Pastor Ron at the age of 30 I felt I needed to sell everything and go to seminary to be a pastor. The advice he gave me was that if this was God’s will, nothing could stop me. But if not, it would be hard to do. After praying with me, he helped me enroll in seminary. But what then does it take to be a true Christian H.E.R.O.? Many years ago, I learned this lesson from an unknown source and took notes. Let us break down the word HERO as an acronym using each letter of H.E.R.O. as a focal point. H: Hiding in the shadow of the Almighty! (“He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in Him I will trust.’” – Psalm 91: 1-2) Yes, a true Christian Hero knows the Lord is their Refuge, Fortress and in Him they do trust! Thus, they have a powerful witness to share with others. E: Endures much opposition! (“Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.” – 1 Peter 5: 8-9) A true Christian Hero stays steadfast in the faith. They persevere through suffering, trials and tribulations. They have a testimony to share with others. R: Remembers the True Hero! (“ … That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on Earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” – Philippians 2:10-11) Yes, many others will see our lives as a witness of Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior as we live our lives in such a way that God is glorified! O: Obey no matter what the cost! (“Jesus answered and said to him, ‘If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.” – John 14:23) A true Christian Hero knows loving God and obeying Him go together just like the two sides of a coin. You cannot have one without the other. A heart for obedience develops our character for others to see. In closing: I pray that God would bless you and use your life for His Kingdom’s Work. Yes, we need more Christian Heroes!