The legacy of heroes is the memory of a great name and the inheritance of a great example. Nurture your mind with great thoughts; to believe in the heroic makes heroes. —Benjamin Disraeli, British Prime Minister and Novelist (1804-1881)
Not only does each of us need a hero, but let’s be honest, each of us wants to be a hero. Deep down inside, there’s that desire to be looked up to, to be appreciated, and to give our lives for something that truly matters.
If you search for quotes about being a “hero,” you’ll find tons of stuff, including this by Will Rodgers: “Being a hero is about the shortest-lived profession on earth.”
And then there is this chorus to the song Hero, sung by Mariah Carey:
There’s a hero
If you look inside your heart
You don’t have to be afraid
Of what you are.
Okay, I have no idea where Mariah is coming from with this. But if, by chance, she’s talking about being “in Christ,” then this song nails it! (On the other hand, if someone tries to be a hero outside of Christ, then they should be afraid!). The foundational verse about our identity simply cannot be overemphasized:
I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. (Galatians 2:20)
This is certainly one of the powerful mysteries of the faith, but it’s so practical. In some supernatural way, we were crucified, dead, and buried in Christ and then raised to new life in Him. In Romans 6 and 7, Paul expounds on this: Not only did Jesus take our sins to the cross, but He also crucified our “old man” (our old, sinful nature).
Then Romans 8 tells us that the risen Christ indwells us by the Spirit and changes us from the inside out. He’s waiting to live heroic deeds through you in a world that needs Him. Study His life well. What kind of hero was He? What are the possibilities?
Jesus, I am no hero, but I believe that You, the True and Great Hero, live in me. Give me ears to hear and eyes to see what heroic deeds You want to accomplish through me today. I can’t do it. You can. Do it, Lord. Amen.