Can I be heroic?

It is the classic tale.  All of our eyes lock onto the hero of the story and miss the man in the background.  If you look closely, there is something to be seen in the background.

Jesus said He came to be the servant.  He asked which was greater the one who sits at the table or the one who serves. It is the one who sits.  Yet, Christ came as a servant.  He chose the background.

In our desire for significance, I think we are tempted to seek the spotlight instead of the mundane.  I see the farmer and the ant.  Both store up for winter.  Both put out tremendous effort when no one is looking.  God says He desires obedience over sacrifice.

I remember in time management class, it was noted people have the tendency to do the easy tasks first often missing the most important.  I think we need to punch the time clock.  That is what a friend says, “Punch the time clock.”  The blue collar worker does it day after day.  It is indeed like clock work.

My dad is that way.  Responsible. Steady. Heroic.

Yes.

My dad is heroic.  Steady like a rock.  As sure as the sun.  He married a woman just like that.  My mother is like that; heroic in a anonymous steady way.  I sometimes appear on TV or people hear my voice on the radio.  As fun as that might be, I find myself feeling the pressure of being heroic in the mundane.  That’s it.  I want to be steady and plain.

Maybe I was never meant to be Casanova or the hero of a movie.

I can be steady.  I can punch that time clock.  I can be the hero in the next moment and the one after that.  There may never be fanfare or applause.  But I can be a hero none the less.  I can come home to kiss my wife, pray to my God and sleep.  Wake up and face another plain steady day.

Sure.  I can be the hero.  Watch close.  You will see me hidden in the mundane.  That’s me in the background.

Unworthy of Grace

Acts 13:42-46

As Paul and Barnabas left the synagogue that day, the people begged them to speak about these things again the next week. Many Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, and the two men urged them to continue to rely on the grace of God.
The following week almost the entire city turned out to hear them preach the word of the Lord. But when some of the Jews saw the crowds, they were jealous; so they slandered Paul and argued against whatever he said

46 Then Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and declared, “It was necessary that we first preach the word of God to you Jews. But since you have rejected it and judged yourselves unworthy of eternal life, we will offer it to the Gentiles.

What response do we have to God’s kindness.   Paul and Barnabas declared the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  They shared the grace of God that had been prophesied.  To those who received the gospel, they urged them to continue to rely on the same grace.

Those who had argued against Paul because of their jealousy missed the point of the Gospel.  Instead of relying on God’s grace to give them significance, they wanted to fight for significance in their own strength competing with Paul for the affections of the crowd.

How often do we judge ourselves unworthy of the grace of God and pursue significance in our own strength.

Prayer:

God give us the humility to seek your approval and receive your grace.  Father, thank you for your blessings that come even when I do not have it all together.  Amen.