What qualifies one as a “Hero” of Faith?
Let’s start with the definition of “Hero.” Upon hearing the word I immediately think of X-men comic books, Star Wars trilogies, and the Lord of the Rings. I think of Spiderman (my favorite when I was little), Superman, and Batman and Robin reruns (“Bif!” “Bang!” Pow!”). Heroes are as old as the Odyssey, as old as the Old Testament. Webster’s defines Hero as “any person, esp. a man, admired for courage, nobility, etc.” I find this definition severely lacking. I would humbly propose that a hero is “anyone who sees what needs to be done and does it, serving the greater good.” This certainly entails courage, nobility, and the unique gifts that heroes seem to possess. It certainly requires a unique selflessness and servant heart that few in this world possess. Let’s put it this way; Superman doesn’t have much of a personal life (despite what Lois Lane might say) – the bulk of his free time is spent saving Metropolis from clockwork impending doom!
This leads me to suggest that Heroes are basically those people that do the things which we are all supposed to be doing in the first place. Thus to be ‘heroic’ is to be called out as special for doing something that we should all be normally doing anyway – Therefore (as more than one nurse christened me) yes I am a hero for donating my bone marrow to some poor guy I don’t even know, quite possibly saving his life…and yet, no I am not a hero just because I simply followed through with a promise I made long ago. I was called to serve, so I served. Simple as that. So yes, I am a hero, and no, I am not.
Let’s start with the definition of “Hero.” Upon hearing the word I immediately think of X-men comic books, Star Wars trilogies, and the Lord of the Rings. I think of Spiderman (my favorite when I was little), Superman, and Batman and Robin reruns (“Bif!” “Bang!” Pow!”). Heroes are as old as the Odyssey, as old as the Old Testament. Webster’s defines Hero as “any person, esp. a man, admired for courage, nobility, etc.” I find this definition severely lacking. I would humbly propose that a hero is “anyone who sees what needs to be done and does it, serving the greater good.” This certainly entails courage, nobility, and the unique gifts that heroes seem to possess. It certainly requires a unique selflessness and servant heart that few in this world possess. Let’s put it this way; Superman doesn’t have much of a personal life (despite what Lois Lane might say) – the bulk of his free time is spent saving Metropolis from clockwork impending doom!
This leads me to suggest that Heroes are basically those people that do the things which we are all supposed to be doing in the first place. Thus to be ‘heroic’ is to be called out as special for doing something that we should all be normally doing anyway – Therefore (as more than one nurse christened me) yes I am a hero for donating my bone marrow to some poor guy I don’t even know, quite possibly saving his life…and yet, no I am not a hero just because I simply followed through with a promise I made long ago. I was called to serve, so I served. Simple as that. So yes, I am a hero, and no, I am not.
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