A word about heroes

These last few days have been extremely busy and I haven't been able to write very much. I know that is a lousy excuse so I will have to write a post about making excuses to make up for it sometime soon. But it won't be tonight. Just to prime the pump I am going to post my weekly epistle. Some of you will have already read it in an email or in the Norwich Bulletin. Every week I write a weekly column to tries to point out that living with Christ is an every day thing. So enjoy and I'll talk about excuses tomorrow. Then maybe the next day I will write about procrastination.

Cal

Where have all the heroes gone? Everywhere you look, you see stars that rise so quickly and fall just as rapidly. I remember when Brittany Spears took the world by storm a few years ago. Then suddenly she came falling back to earth like a meteor. Roger Clemens was being heralded as one of the all time greats. The same was true of Alex Rodriguez. Both of them were heading toward immortality when they crashed head first into a wall called steroids.

Politicians, religious icons, movie stars and captains of industry all seem to disappoint us and leave us searching for someone to look up to and respect. We yearn for the heroes to help us believe in all that is good in this life.

I can't wait until the new Star Trek movie comes out this week and James Tiberius Kirk makes his triumphant return to the screen. The only problem is that Captain Kirk isn't real. He is just a character in a movie. What we need are real life heroes. We need people who live in such a way that they inspire the rest of us to reach for lofty goals.

I was thinking these thoughts just before I heard Katie Beit speak at a meeting of the Norwich Rotary. She and a few friends had organized a medical mission to Kalambe, Nicaragua. I watched her slide presentation and was moved by what they were doing.

The photos brought to mind the work Dr. Jerry Lowney is doing in the villages of Haiti. Every year he sends several teams down to bring hope to the people. Then I thought of the Silvers and the work they are doing with the American Friends of Kenya. Transformation is taking place in the middle of Africa through their efforts.

Later that night I thought about one of the teachers I had in school. She was my hero growing up. It reminded me that today the men and women who work with our kids are still heroes. They are living out their faith and convictions in concrete ways. They aren't just talking about making a difference, they are doing it.

So stop looking for heroes to come flying in to save the day. Be a hero. Live your faith and reach out to meet a need in your neighborhood, or where you work, or even in another part of the world if the call comes. If we all step up, then no one will need to ask where have all the heroes gone, They will see you and praise God.