Who Are the Real Heroes?
Ask a young person who they consider to be a hero. What do you think they will say? Chances are, they will pick a well-known individual from the past or present who made a name for themselves because of something they achieved. It may have been they excelled in politics, athletics, music, or some other interest. People who are recognized as heroes are usually extraordinary people who became popular because of something they did or something that happened that was largely due to their influence.
With that in mind, I met a real hero just the other day. I met him in the place where I have learned most of our living heroes still reside. I met him while I was going to visit two of our elderly ladies who suffer from Alzheimer’s disease. These ladies currently live in a nursing home not far from our town. To protect privacy and to not call attention to the facility I am not going to mention any names. But as I was there in the hall with one of the ladies I had intended to see, I met a man who immediately got my attention. He was wearing a very interesting hat.
He was sitting in a chair, not speaking but seemingly looking to start a conversation with his eyes. So I spoke to him, “I really like your hat.” He took it off and looked at it. “Yep,” he said, “That was a long time ago.” The cap he had on simply stated, “World War II Veteran.” I asked him if he had been in the war. He told me he had fought in Germany and had also spent part of his time afterward in Russia. He stayed in the military for most of his life after the war. He had survived the front lines of an ugly and bloody battle.
But now, in his 90’s, he is just living out his days quietly. I don’t know if he has a lot of visitors. I don’t know about his family and friends. We exchanged names, had a nice conversation, and I thanked him for everything he had done for me. I thanked him for everything he had done for us! He seemed at peace with himself about it. I recall him saying, “Well I hoped what we tried to do over there made a difference, made things better.” I assured him so. I let him know he was a hero.
The real heroes in our world do not wear capes and masks. They do not swim in money. They are not on television or in the movies. They will not be known in history by name. Many of them never even came home. Real heroes are people who sacrificed everything for a cause that was bigger than themselves. They believed in something worth giving their lives for, and that’s exactly what they gave.
At the end of time, every history book will be destroyed, every trophy demolished, and every museum brought to ruin. But there are people, who by faith are building a residence yet unseen that will stand forever inside the gates of heaven. These are the people we should follow. These are the people who will rest from the labors, and whose works follow them.
“These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.” – Heb. 11:13
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