Heroes

The image of a Hero that I've grown up with is Indiana Jones jumping from truck to truck, improvising by whatever resources he has. Or Luke and Han escaping from the Death Star.

Today, our culture is preoccupied with heroes. People with extraordinary gifts who do extraordinary things. We've got movies, tv show, and cartoons. Medals are given out to heroes-- in the military, even in the community.

In the Royal Rangers, a boy scout-like program with the Assembly of God, there is a medal for courage and a medal for valor. One is rescuing someone's life, and the other is rescuing the life at risk to your own. But here's one very interesting caveat: You, the rescuer, cannot have been the cause of the other person's peril. You can't get a medal for pulling someone out of a burning tent if you set the fire.

Well, lately, I'm having to re-define what a hero is in my own life with my own family. Uh-oh, our family is facing Big Problem, so I rush in and through quick thinking and ingenuity, defeat the Big Problem and save the family. But where was I when the Big Problem began?

In other words, why didn't Han just turn the Millennium Falcon away from the Death Star when Ben said to? Later, he's no hero for getting out by the seat of his pants. The real hero doesn't get trapped by the Death Star.

I want to be a Hero to my wife and to my kids. It will require planning instead of reaction. Won't be as recognized. But I'm not looking for a medal. Anymore.