Modern Day Heroes are few and far between
You are welcome to listen in as I seek to encourage myself to cheer on those who are my inspiration.
We all have people for whom we develop an admiration or appreciation. They are like lighthouses in the darkness. One example for me in the entertainment industry is Morgan Freeman. Morgan seems to pick classy roles, plays characters that I enjoy watching and does not ruin it with off camera antics. I would not consider Morgan Freeman one of my heroes though because I do not really know that much about him on a personal level. My heroes are people who generally see the world like I do (from a Biblical perspective) and stand firm in their convictions with compassion. Jesus Christ would be number one on my list. Billy Graham would be another example of such a person. I am now working on a running list of my heroes so that I can refer people in my life to them if it might be helpful. My heroes talk about what they believe and why they believe it. They contribute in the midst of a world where most people just consume. They have boundaries. The guys in my Thursday morning Bible study group are on my list because I see them weather the storms of life with grace and conviction.
I believe the movies we watch and the books we read give us clear indications of what inspires us – what draws us in – what causes we consider “noble”. That does not really explain why I like movies like the Italian Job or Ocean’s Eleven though… Revenge is such a tempting thing to watch because my filter prevents me from acting on it in real life 😉 I am also drawn to moves like Gladiator, Braveheart and Shawshank Redemption. The interesting common thread is that in the very beginning of each of these movies, the hero or Protagonist takes a devastating blow from some Antagonist (usually very evil and dislikable) and spends the rest of the movie working towards “justice”. I use the word justice because justice seems to be served when “good guy” wins in the end. Or, perhaps, we just want the evil guy to lose… That seems like justice – even though it is rooted in revenge most of the time.
One of the pivotal crossroads I keep zeroing in on with modern day heroes has to do with the word “expect”. What we “expect” in others when they experience hardship whether deserved or not. We understand it when people shutdown over serious health setbacks. We understand when our friends get upset over a bad day at work. We all probably know someone who has been a part of a divorce. The friendliest version of this to me seems to fall into the “irreconcilable differences” category. No danger, abuse or adultery – just two people who don’t get along most of the time anymore. When people in this situation start confiding in me about what is going on, I “expect” them to ultimately get divorced. My presumption is that if they have now gone public, they are finished rehearsing this silently in their head and it is probably a done deal. Do I think this is the best outcome? No. Will I ever encourage them to get a divorce? No. Why? Because that is not what inspires me. What inspires me in these situations is the outcome I do NOT expect. Reconciliation. Hard, painful, sometimes embarrassing, foolish looking hard work and determination. THAT inspires me. It inspires me because it is rare. It inspires me because it takes sacrifice. It inspires me because I believe marriages are worth saving and families are worth preserving. It inspires me because I believe the people involved are better for it on the other side of all of the hard work and personal growth. Legacy’s are worth building! Perhaps, if we looked at life’s setbacks like a professional athlete looks at an injury… Consult a doctor, obey the treatment and then rehab like crazy until you are back to 100%. Nice but not expected.
Now, let’s take this to a higher level. What if my troubled marriage scenario does involve danger, abuse or adultery? I definitely expect divorce. I may even encourage it in cases of danger and/or abuse. I honestly cannot tell you what I would actually do until I faced it and looked back on my decisions. What I can say though is that if I am inspired over people reconciling with “irreconcilable differences”, I will be super duper inspired when people reconcile through more devastating situations. It will have made no logical sense. It will defy the odds. It will be something to celebrate. I will be something special! Perhaps even more special than it was to begin with… God can do that. Better than new – fully restored. In the real estate world, we might call that a “down to the studs” renovation. Same great location, same mature landscaping, same “bones” – just all new goodies!
I am encouraged to not try and “make” any heroes. Heroes “emerge” and usually become most visible in times of trouble. Let’s just be really loud cheerleaders when we seem them taking a high and painful road. Life is like a marathon and cheers along the way are so crucial to being able to finish well. Just remember this: The whole city does not turn out on the sidelines to cheer when a marathon is held. Doubtful any of the runners even expect it. And yet, I bet every single cheer mattered – especially to the runners who struggled the most to finish. If I choose to show up, it will matter.
