The hero of courage and honor

Hero… A hero is a “person of distinguished courage or ability, admired for his brave deeds and noble qualities”. A hero. There is such an overwhelming sense of inspiration and awe that goes along with that word. We all know one personally, we all want to be one, or we all can think of one. But there is that person. We have people in our lives that stick out, make a difference, and leave their footprints in our lives.  From the time we were born until now, there is always that hero adventuring through our books, running through our cartoons, and leaving a lasting memory.  And hopefully those heros have the noble qualities that compel their brave deeds to make a difference for the better.  And we leave forever changed.

pic from playbuzz.com, http://cdn2.thr.com, http://www.newtrier.k12.il.us

I got to thinking of heroes because I attended a funeral last week for a 20 year old that was considered his friends and families’ hero. He lived his life by the motto, “once in a lifetime”… living life to the fullest and enjoying every minute.  His family said he made the world a better place, his friends said he never missed a beat, and his coaches praised his stamina and attitude. Nothing would stop him because he had his heroic qualities pumping through his blood… It was sad to see people grieving the loss. It was heartbreaking to see people missing their friend, their brother, and their son. But it was inspiring to see people’s desire to carry on his legacy, to enjoy the moment for him, and take his courage into the battle of life and make it a better place. A hero, always to be remembered, never forgotten, and leaving the world better than they found it.

The pastor did a really good job of summing up a few points to focus on celebrating the life of this young man.  The first point was to “make the most of every opportunity”.  We have a purpose, we have this one life, and it is up to us what we do with it.  We have to be more in tune with who we are rather than just what we are doing. Ephesians 5:16 tells us to make the most of every opportunity by being filled with the Holy Spirit and thanking the Lord our God for everything before us.  We have an opportunity to be present in the moment and live our lives to make a mark, have an impact, and leave a legacy.

The next point he brought up was investing in the relationships you have with the people around you. We were created for relationship. But we need to choose to surround ourselves with people that encourage us and challenge us to be better people.  To not be held back by doubt or weakness or shame but to figure out who we are, figure out who the Lord made us to be, and live each day to run towards that.  And there are people that will point us in that direction and help us get there. These relationships are worth millions.

The last point was a question… He asked “What do you place your hope in”… Do you place it in something temporary? Do you place it in success of this world? Do you place it in something that will leave you unsatisfied? The best gift we have is the consistency and faithfulness of the love of the Lord.  His love never changes.  With him we have hope. Without him, everything is meaningless. It is all a chasing after the wind.  It is running after something that will never satisfy.  But we have the chance to place our hope in the living bread and water of the Lord Jesus Christ that will quench any thirst and fill any hunger.  He is our hope. He is our purpose. He is what we live for.  And following after him entails (encompasses) leading a heroic life, where we have courage to follow him.  We have a distinguished set apart life. We have hope in knowing the Lord is our strength whenever we are weak. We seek to inspire others not by ourselves, but with the power of our mighty God. Because if God is for us, who can be against us.  We serve a mighty God and we have the best example of a hero right here in Jesus, who can be with us every step of the way to lead a heroic life.  Are you ready to take the challenge?

• Who do you consider your heroes?

• How are you inspired by your heros?

• Who considers you their hero?

• What heroic qualities do you have or desire to have?