Heroes

What is your definition of a “hero”? Courageous? Valiant? Epic? All of these are good answers. But we must ask another question: What is Courage and Valor? What is truly Epic? “So David and his men went on the road, while Shimei went along on the hillside opposite him and cursed as he went and threw stones at him and flung dust,” 2 Samuel 16:13. Is there anything Courageous, Valiant or Epic written here?

I believe there is. It takes great courage to trust God with every outcome. It is both valiant and epic when we do what we know we ought to do without any sign that all will turn out well. It takes faith in God’s abilities and intentions to obey conscience when it would be easier not to. It takes the Mind of Christ to offer salvation at personal cost.

It is heroic to leave your destiny in the hands of God as you rally to exalt the destinies of others. It is heroic to refrain from judging one who has chosen to judge you. It is heroic to bless when you are cursed. It is heroic to love your enemies. It is heroic to stand in the arena of human judgment and believe that God will treat you fairly. It is heroic when you do justice towards those who have not been just to you. It is heroic to defend the causes of those who cannot defend you.

“But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful. Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you,” Luke 6:35-38. You will be a Hero. Just as Christ was a Hero to you.

It is heroic to leave judgment of even your enemies to the Creator. It is heroic to stand as one merciful, kind and forgiving when it is not gratefully received. It is heroic to believe, in every situation, that God will be just towards you. He will judge you fairly.

And David said, “It may be that the Lord will look on the wrong done to me, and that the Lord will repay me with good for his cursing today,” 2 Samuel 16:12. Heroic. Trusting God. Leaving to Him all the judgment. He or she who does this, will be a Hero in the History Books of Heaven.