What's Heroic?

What is a hero? That question is considered in literature class, but rarely in life. Why? Possibly because heroes don’t wake up in the morning thinking about what they might do that would be considered selfless. They don’t try to act like heroes. When someone calls them a hero, they’re surprised. It’s unexpected.

Heroes try to help others because it’s the right thing to do. They help out because there is an opportunity to help. A man riding a bus who gives his seat to a woman carrying a stack of books doesn’t consider himself a hero. But maybe she’d been dreading the bus ride home because she knew the bus would be standing room only as usual. For that moment, his generous act seems heroic, possibly because she wasn’t expecting it.

This month, I’m going to show a few unexpected things. Spencer Tracy’s character, in the movie Boys Town gives several boys some unexpected help. Also, I’ll post on my devotional blog about an unexpected hero in the Bible who led a relatively small group into victory. Gideon’s courage to obey instructions which might have seemed a little unconventional or even illogical proved to be what promoted him to hero status.

Who “saves the day” in your community? How do you show appreciation for your local heroes?