2016) HEROES

Written on February 17, 2016.

The news is not something I have purposed myself to “catch” for many years now. In those years, I have discovered that if there is a story Pappa wants me to see, read or hear, He gets it to me in many wonderful ways.

A few days ago, my person and I were out for date night. This week found us at a place we frequent for a little luxury. Within its walls, they have something we don’t see too often. A television tuned to a channel. Said channel – the news. Even so, it is quite easy for us to focus on each other and we aren’t easily distracted when that is our endevour. But this day, there was a bit of bidding and beckoning by Pappa towards this story.

The nutshell of the story is this: A sports star who very recently had a triumph on the field, has some allegations from his past surfacing in his today. The bottom to top of it comes at the hands of a prestigious reporter who made the discovery. Something such as this isn’t new. A person is placed upon a pedestal of accolade held by feeble, fickle hands. When the trickle of discouraging discourse begins to flow, those hands begin to grab for something to protect themselves with and the perilous pedestal tumbles to the ground, all while an idol is cast down.

Living in a nation prone to idolatry, I could graze across these events with a grudging glance and move on. But there is something deeper to discover. The story will play out. A vigilante will not have the cause of calling out the idolatry of a people, but instead will seek the utter annihilation of the uncrowned. Blurred lines come that are tough to cross and soon it will be hard to tell who the villain and victor of the story are.

My mention of this story is not to draw you to it. I don’t know that Pappa will have me hear another sound bite or soundtrack of it. But I do long to draw your heart to what He revealed through it.

Truly, we should not have idols. We were not made for their glisten or glare. Yet, we are in dastardly danger of losing something precious if we, in effort to protect ourselves from being caught with pedestal in hand, reject something that we are meant to recognize.

Heroes.

The brave, the valiant, the courageous, the champions, the brave, the bold, the lions and lambs of the every day.

Those described in Hebrew as ones who steal hearts by shouting love every which way. I know those. I am surrounded by them.

But we have been baked and boiled by the waxing and waning of public attention and dissension and had our hearts reduced to celebrating random acts of kindness. We were made for more.

For our Hero, came and incited a riot. One that gives greatness a place, so His name with be shouted from the bleachers of the blemished made beautiful. We, the great ones are here to fill the world with His wondrous works and ways.

For when we become heroes to each other, we hem the world in with the hope of help, the grandeur of grace and the ferocity of faithfulness, giving the each and every a safe place to believe and begin.

Our heroes do not necessarily leap tall buildings in a single bound, but are far more powerful than a locomotive. Because they are right next to each other, lifting each other up. Spurring each other on. Holding hands and hugging hearts. The heroes I know, make choices that change everything. They give everything, even when they feel they don’t have much. They celebrate each other, even when someone else “gets” the thing they are waiting for. They give grace and return redemption. They see the hurt most would hurdle and pause their own pursuits to minister melody. They ask how you are and wait with you for the answer. They demonstrate deliverance by making sure one not where they were meant to be gets there.

And they are generously grateful for the opportunity to serve, give and love. Even when it’s hard, especially when it hurts. They are the relentless and roaring, jubilant and joyous.

And I am surrounded by them. Hemmed in by heroism. Held by the HERO because they never cease to wonder in His ways.

JOURNAL JUBILEE:

Write an “article” about a hero standing uncaped but not uncrowned near you. Tell of their mighty exploits and how they have encouraged, challenged and changed you, simply by living the life of heroism they were made for. If Pappa leads you to publish your article, do so by giving it to the hero who has win your heart by shouting love every which way!