We are doing a study on Heroes of the Bible for the summer. There are some incredible feats of strength and wisdom from our biblical heroes. But the one thing common for all of theme is their faith in God. It was God who told Joshua to march around Jericho, blow your trumpets and shout and the walls will come tumbling down. It was God who whittled down Gideons army to 300 and the battle was won with rams horns and clay jars. Who would have thought such battle strategies would have worked. But again it is our relying on God for strength and wisdom to get us through our daily battles.
Since we started our study on heroes, I have also taken a closer look at those common ordinary heroes that surround us today. People not in the spotlight, but in the shadows. People who don’t think of themselves as heroes, but just doing what any ordinary person would to to help another human being.
Some of those heroes of mine have been other Free Methodist pastor’s who at conference took a general interest in how life is going and how Crossroads is doing as a church plant. A young man who is stepping away from a comfortable job to start his own business (a christian business). A couple who are looking into adoption and expanding their lifestyle to include others and to give christian love and parenting away to a deserving child. A man in prison waiting for a second chance. A single mom raising two beautiful teens. A family living life to the fullest and representing Christ to kids that range in age from 18 to 3. A woman who is praying for the teenager that rear-ended her car. For a grandfather who loves his family and desires to stay close to them. A man unequally yoked in marriage, yet because of Christ he is doing everything possible to be a strong witness to keeping marriage alive and healthy. A woman who takes her work seriously and though in the secular world she maintains a witness for Christ to her co-workers. A man who builds a cabin at a christian camp for youth to find Christ. (This is a new friend that I met this week and the camp is the same place our youth go to and have stayed in his cabin and we are 4 hours apart.)
I could go on and on about people I see doing heroic things in their homes and places of work and elsewhere. I am sure that you know some of these people as well. Even though they are not in the spotlight, say a prayer of thanks to the good Lord for their affect in your life. Do it now. Don’t let a word of gratitude go by.
Mark Tuttle, pastor at Crossroads Church in Ankeny, Iowa. Come and meet some of our local heroes.
