Girls dream of a hero coming to rescue them and sweep them off their feet! And guys hope to play the part of a hero, saving a damsel in distress.
Who's your favorite hero? America is the birth place of many super heroes; Batman, Superman, Spiderman, X-men, Fantastic Four, etc. What differentiate them from the villains (their arch enemies), who also possess extraordinary powers, is that they use their talents for the good of mankind, defending the weak and helping the helpless. Often, they do this at the expense of their personal interests. A good example would be Spiderman, who often forsake his pizza delivery or show up late on dates with Mary Jane, just because his web service is needed urgently elsewhere.
Last week, I became a hero to two “damsels in distress”. First, a young lady who had just moved into the neighbourhood struggling with a sofa on the roadside. My wife and I decided to lend her a helping hand even though we were actually rushing to go to church. Second, a student who was staring blankly at a street map. Sensing that she was lost, I asked if I could help. She couldn’t find the building she wanted to go and also, did not know where to park her car (most all the car park in the university is reserved for staff). She was also not feeling well and was close to tears. I took out my map and helped her find her direction to the building and the nearest car park. As a result, I was nearly late for my class.
Ordinary Heroes: The church we are attending in State College just completed a series of study on the lives of ordinary people in the Bible whom God used to do extraordinary things that were seen as heroic to others. We learned from the series that although we may not have superpowers, we can still be ordinary heroes, like the Good Samaritan in the following story:
Ordinary Heroes: The church we are attending in State College just completed a series of study on the lives of ordinary people in the Bible whom God used to do extraordinary things that were seen as heroic to others. We learned from the series that although we may not have superpowers, we can still be ordinary heroes, like the Good Samaritan in the following story:
A Jew going on a trip was attacked by bandits. They stripped him of his clothes and money and beat him up and left him lying half dead beside the road. By chance, a priest came along; and when he saw the man lying there, he crossed to the other side of the road and passed him by. A scholar walked over and looked at him lying there, but then went on. But a despised Samaritan came along, and when he saw him, he felt deep pity. Kneeling beside him the Samaritan soothed his wounds with medicine and bandaged them. Then he put the man on his donkey and walked along beside him till they came to an inn, where he nursed him through the night. The next day he handed the innkeeper monies and told him to take care of the man. (Luke 10: 30-35)
Who's the real hero? The Samaritan of course! His main concern was, "what would happen to him if I didn't stop?" In contrast, the priest and scholar's main concern was, "what would happen to me if I stop?" The Fear Factor, I think, is what stop many from being a hero. To overcome fear, I have learned from the pastor’s preaching that:
- "The more self-centered we are, the more we struggle with fear”, and
- “When we care for others more than ourselves, we will begin to do courageous things".
Heroes are, therefore, those who act courageusly in spite (not the absence) of fear. For most of us, the real hero in our life would be our mother, who sacrificed so much for her children. Why not do something special for her today? Tell her how much you appreciate her heroic acts. No need to wait until mothers' day!
