Everyday Super Heroes!

Maybe many of you like me have read Hebrews and got through chapter 11 and 12 and never really glanced at 13. Well, today I took a good hard look at chapter 13 and it good really good. This year’s theme at Pella Christian Grade School is Heroes of the Faith and we chose verse 7 of this chapter. The more I read it the more I love it.

Remember your leaders who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.

I am a follower of Christ and have been for a very long time. But there are so many who have modeled to me throughout my 27 years what I needed to know about the word of God, Jesus, and living as a Christian. Throughout the years I have been invested in my youth leaders, teachers, professors, friends, coaches, and sometimes even strangers. These people have left an impact on me. This week as I stepped foot on the volleyball court to coach I remembered the great leaders that shaped me not only as a player but a women of God. When I step in my classroom to teach next I am reminded of the teachers who took the time to shape me and make me the teacher I am today. As I look forward to another year at church doing youth group I think of the many youth leaders, Calvinettes (yest that was our name) counselors, and pastors who took Hebrews 13:7 seriously to imitate their faith. I step into some really big shoes. Now I am one of those people maybe like many of you.

So the true heroes are not spider man, batman, superman, or whoever. The true heroes are those people who take the time to invest in you and care. I work with a bunch of heroes at Pella Christian Grade School. I do youth group with a bunch of heroes who give so much time, money, and energy into our kids (and dress up ridiculously like YAKS). I attend Seminary with a bunch of heroes who what to change the lives of people one day at a time. I am a daughter to two great heroes who taught me what it means to be a servant of Christ. I am a sister to a hero who has a bigger heart than anyone I have ever met. I have friends who are heroes who give away time and energy to love on me when I need and give me patience when I am crabby. We all have heroes. They are heroes because they love others. As Hebrews 13 says we see out of that love kindness to strangers, empathy for those who are in prison or mistreated, respect for marriage vows, and contentment for what you have.

I have the names of my entire student on torches in my classroom. They are torch lighters. Someone somewhere along the way took my torch and lit it and many have added to that torch through years. Now it is my student’s turn. It is their turn to take Jesus to Pella, Marion County, Iowa, United States, and maybe even the world.