Heroes and Models

There are all kinds of heroes.  There are superheroes like Superman and Batwoman.  There are sports heroes like Babe Ruth and Michael Jordan.  There are patriotic heroes like Patrick Henry and George Washington.  It's a funny thing about heroes.  We look up to them and admire their powers and skills.  But somehow we don't often think we can become one.  Heroes seem larger than life itself.  On the other hand, there are people we've known who have modeled the kind of living we aspire to follow, or model.  These are often everyday people that we grow up with, work alongside of and sometimes even marry.  In fact, in my life, I'm even finding that my children are modeling the kind of character and devotion that I want to display.  Shirley and I are staying with my Mom while our home is finished.  I guess I'll have to make an exception and say that my Mom is both model and hero.   Every day I've known her she's served other people.  She just doesn't know how to put herself first.  My Mom has modeled love for me all my life and now I know that this kind of behavior isn't the norm for everyone.  I'd have to say she's a hero because I don't come close to her level of selflessness, but because it's been modeled so consistently for me, I do know the right way to live.

 

Jesus is both hero and model, of course.  Isn't it great that He lived the perfect life to show (and tell) us the way...but He didn't stop there!  He made it possible for us to have Him move in to our individual hearts.  With His presence and power, we can begin to model the heroic as well.

 

Colossians 1:10-13 And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves

 

blessings,

Rob Smith

http://2daysthought.blogspot.com/