UNSUNG HEROES
When most people think of “heroes” they think of a traditional police officer, a fireman, military personnel and occasionally the fictional superhero! Although these people have heroic opportunities at times, they purposefully signed up for those positions and get paid to do so. There should be some level of expectation. Don’t get me wrong… we appreciate their service and selflessness to put their lives on the line to protect us on various levels.
What I’m getting at is that we often forget about the everyday hero that doesn’t wear a uniform, a cape or have a fancy title. When I think about heroes I think of the following:
Missionaries who left everything to minister in foreign lands
The unpaid servants in the church
The informative mom that teaches others moms the ropes of motherhood
The volunteer soccer coach (or any sport) for those kids (our future)…and the team mom too!
Those that invest their time at old folk’s homes
Those who do things for others and expect no recognition in return
The people picking up trash on the side of the road (not the prisoners though… but thanks)
The environmentalists trying to keep our planet clean (not the crazy ones)
The animal rescue peeps
The neighbor who always volunteers to help (I would like one of those)
Those who offer to disciple someone knowing they’ll have to be the bad guy at some point
The list goes on and on but pretty much any volunteer that is attempting to give an offering of time, talents and treasure has potential to be a hero in my book. I’m not really into the people that are like “look at me, look at me” but sometimes certain positions are just more in the spotlight than others. Those that do things behind the scenes get extra credit from me because they can work tirelessly for years and most people will never know.
Even though we all have our struggles, our frustrations and an occasional thorn in our side, there are some really amazing people living among us and serve in various facets of life. Don’t forget to thank people when they’ve been a blessing to you. You never know when you might be the encourager that motivates someone when they are having a rough time. Being served is nice on occasion but don’t forget to serve in some capacity yourself… and do it with excellence whenever possible!
The greatest servant of all was Jesus Christ and He has and will be my ultimate hero!!!