Giving each other swats

I'm returning to one of the most prolific sources of editorial material for our lesson today. Of course I'm speaking of television. I think that the common referral to it as the "boob tube" is most accurate. There just seems to be an inexhaustible supply of things seen on TV that stir my thought processes.

Just the other night I was watching the news and there was a report given, in the tone of a "major" event, about some soldiers in the Columbian Army "giving each other swats." This is a "major event?" My immediate thoughts: 1^st, how desperate they must be for something to report and 2^nd, where were the TV news crews when I was in junior high and high school receiving swats.

Another "news flash." Recently, due to several massive fires, California was declared to be a "disaster area." Being a resident of this "State of disaster" my thought on this news item was: California is in a "state of disaster" for many more reasons than forest fires. Can I get an AMEN on that?

But, let's get on to my lesson in chief here today. I'm sure that most of you are aware of a TV series by the name of "Heroes." I watched it a few times, but I get confused as to who the good guys and the bad guys are. So, I pretty much don't watch shows that confuse me, but that show does provide me a spring board into some editorial thoughts.

I'd like you to consider a few thoughts based upon "heroes" for a few moments. Something that always causes me concern is how and who the world chooses for its heroes. A few years ago some researchers did a world-wide survey as to who the most recognizable person was, now and throughout history. Would it surprise you, maybe even amaze you, that the most recognized person (name) in the world was Michael Jordan? It certainly did me.

What this research revealed, to me anyway, is tragic in nature and that is what the world uses as criteria for choosing its heroes. Doesn't it seem to you that society is picking sports figures or entertainers as their heroes? It certainly seems so to me. Someone who can shoot a basketball, run or pass a football, hit a home run or portray someone else in a movie somehow qualifies to be a hero. And the additional sadness to that is, that they become worshiped by many people.

In commenting on the world's idea of "heroes" and "hero-worshiping" I'm reminded of something a great Gospel preacher (Foy Smith) used to say. "It's all hogwash, with apologies to the hog." The world's heroes may be famous, are probably wealthy and blessed with superior physical abilities and talents, but "heroes?" I think not! Allow me to share with you the Ron Covey philosophy regarding the subject under discussion - "heroes."

I think that "heroes" and "heroism" is sort of like "beauty." It's in the eye of the beholder. Heroes come in all shapes, sizes, colors and genders. And, furthermore, it doesn't require some singular, great act of bravery or some momentous event to make someone a hero. It can be something as simple as visiting a sick person, holding someone's hand when they need support, or maybe even just giving someone a simple hug. What are we talking about here? Performing some action that shows another person that they're cared about.

In my view, a "hero" is someone who warms another's heart, and everyone needs their hearts warmed every now and then, don't they? And here's another little factoid in this regard: everyone can be a "heart-warmer" and thus, can be a "hero." As usual I have a little illustration to provide you that I feel helps to "get the picture," so to speak.

A few years ago a man was in Denver, Colorado during a bitterly cold winter day. He chanced to be in a 7-ll market, making a necessary purchase, and while there observed a very elderly gentleman in the store. The two of them and the woman clerk were the only ones in the store. He noticed that the old gentleman was not appropriately dressed for the bitter cold weather and wondered why he would even venture out on a day such as this.

The old man wandered about the store and finally selected a banana and a muffin and came to the counter with them. It was then that the man realized why the old gentleman was out on such a day and why he was in the store. When he came to the counter, the clerk took both of his hands in hers and rubbed them for a few moments and then just held them awhile. Then she buttoned up his coat better for him, rewrapped his scarf around his neck, put his little bag over his hands and told him to "take care of himself" because she needed "to see him tomorrow."

He didn't need a banana or a muffin bad enough to be out on this cold, winter day, but he did need his heart warmed. The man asked the clerk if the old man was a relative or a special friend and she replied that "everyone was special to her." In my philosophical way of thinking - she's a hero.

Well, let's close with a thought about a phrase used many times in reference to the Bible and that phrase is "heroes of the faith." In the 11^th chapter of Hebrews we read of many "heroes of the faith" from the Old Testament. They did great things while motivated by their faith in God. The chapter mentions several of the more prominent ones by name, but then starting in verse 32 it includes many unnamed others that are "heroes." How many we don't know, but there must have been a lot of them as the writer says that "time would fail me" to try and tell about all that had been done by faith.

And time "fails me" to tell of "heroes of the faith" since Hebrews was written. There isn't time or space to even touch upon "heroes" among us at the present time. Heroes, people who have touched our lives in some way. Who warmed our hearts just at the time they need warming. They may not fit the world's idea of what constitutes a "hero" but then, a Christian's criteria shouldn't match the world's anyway. The Apostle Paul says it best when he writes in Eph. 2:2 that Christians don't "walk" according to the course of the world, so I'm going to go out on a limb and say that "heroes of the world" are most probably not "heroes" to God.

Heroes to God are those who are faithful to His Son and, to the best of their ability, help others become faithful and remain so. They are the "heroes of the faith" today. When we consider the "heroes of the faith," both of history and of today, I feel that I have to echo some more words of the writer of Hebrews when he says in 11:38, "Of whom the world was not worthy..."

In closing, consider those "heroes" who preach the Gospel whenever and wherever they are able. And the missionaries working with little more than nothing but their desire to spread God's Word the world over. The one's who are "instant in season and out of season." (2Tim. 4:2) They are today's "heroes of the faith" and always remember, everyone of us can also be "heroes of the faith" when we conduct (walk) our lives by the attributes of the Gospel. When we are "heart warmer's" for Christ.

Ron Covey