MOMENT BY MOMENT

When our son Pete was three, he was diagnosed with leukemia, and from one moment to the next, our lives changed drastically. There are no instruction manuals that can prepare you for how to cope when your child is facing a life-threatening disease. Even though we found shelter in the loving arms of Jesus, our tender Shepherd, we still had to find a way to face the scary events of the following weeks and months.

Finally, there was light at the end of the tunnel: The doctors pronounced Pete healed. But in reality the challenge was not over; years later, the ugly monster raised its foul head again, not once but twice.

When the cancer returned the first time, we were in South Africa, an unfamiliar country with a different language, culture, and medical system from what we were used to. But the fears and pain were the same, along with the interminable waiting for the tiniest signs of improvement. The improvement did come, and again it seemed he was cured … until three years later, we were stunned to discover that our son’s cancer had returned yet again.

Still only ten years old, Pete was facing his third bout with the illness.

We cried and agonized. We didn’t understand God’s reasons, but we felt His presence ever by our side. I was pretty sure I could relate to how the apostle Paul must have felt when he wrote, “We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are … never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed.”

And so once more we held on desperately.

Back at the hospital, the doctor was explaining that the best possibility for permanent healing was a bone marrow transplant, but everyone in our family had already been tested. None of us were a match.

“Let’s test again,” he advised.

The next week the doctor met us with a smile. “Your youngest son is a close enough match,” he said.

It was no instant victory. Again it took days, weeks, and months before Pete was out of danger. But he pulled through and has been cancer-free for the past ten years.

How do you survive a crisis? You hold the hand of the Shepherd, moment by moment, hour by hour, day by day.

—

James 1:12 ESV / Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.

Romans 5:3-5 ESV / More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

2 Corinthians 12:9-10 ESV / But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

COMING THROUGH

Light is appreciated and valued, because we’ve experienced darkness. Hope is truly valued after we’ve experienced despair. Our blessings bring us the greatest joy, because we’ve experienced life without them. We value health because we’ve experienced sickness, and we understand the value of being loved because we know what it’s like to feel loneliness.

I don’t think there is anyone who enjoys the suffering, the difficulties, the sickness, the pain, and the hardships of life; yet Paul tells us in the Bible that he is “glad to boast about [his] weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through [him].” When we can look to God in whatever life brings, His power gives us the strength to endure and gain all the good that He has promised to bring about.

Here are a few thoughts from some who discovered that when they turned to God in times of trouble, He walked by their side through it all.

Thankfulness is the secret of joy.—Author unknown

We human beings instinctively regard the seen world as the “real” world and the unseen world as the “unreal” world, but the Bible calls for almost the opposite.—Philip Yancey (b. 1949)

Every truth about suffering can be twisted into a weapon for or against God. Most often, suffering speeds us in the direction we are already heading—whether toward or away from God.—David McKenna

Don’t shake your head when you see a mom or dad with a Down syndrome child and say, No way could I face that. Most likely you couldn’t. Which is precisely why God hasn’t asked you to. Instead, take time to seriously consider how you will remain joyful within your own particular, unique, individual situation. Accept your circumstances as a gift from His hand. Dare to thank Him for them.—Joni Eareckson Tada (b. 1949)

Think of your worst moments, your sorrows, your losses, your sadness, and then remember that here you are, able to remember them. You got through the worst day of your life. You got through the trauma, you got through the trial, you endured the temptation, you survived the bad relationship, you’re making your way out of the dark. Remember the bad things … then look to see where you are. When we remember how difficult life used to be and how far we have come, we set up an explicit contrast in our mind, and this contrast is fertile ground for gratefulness.—Reverend Peter Gomes (1942–2011)

In suffering—pray that the trial increases your capacity for faith.—Bob O’Bannon

Don’t pray for a lighter burden. Pray for a stronger back.—Author unknown

Whenever you feel yourselves weak, do not say, “I am weak,” but seek the remedy—for it is God’s Word.—John Calvin (1509–1564)

In times of trouble say, first: He brought me here; it is by His will I am in this strait place, in that I will rest. Next: He will keep me here in His love, and give me grace in this trial to behave as His child. Then: He will make the trial a blessing, teaching me the lessons He intends me to learn, and working in me the grace He means to bestow. Last: In His good time He can bring me out again—how and when He knows. Say: I am here (1) by God’s appointment, (2) in His keeping, (3) under His training, (4) for His time.—Andrew Murray (1828–1917)

God is not concerned about our plans; He doesn’t ask, “Do you want to go through the loss of a loved one, this difficulty or this defeat?” No, He allows these things for His own purpose. The things we are going through are either making us sweeter, better, and nobler men and women, or they are making us more critical and fault-finding and more insistent on our own way. The things that happen either make us evil or they make us more saintly, depending entirely on our relationship with God and its level of intimacy.—Oswald Chambers (1874–1917)

—

James 1:19-20 ESV / Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.

1 John 4:18 ESV / There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.

Romans 12:1-2 ESV / I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

DOWN IN THE SALT MINES

We went down 378 spiraling steps into the Wieliczka Salt Mine in southern Poland, wondering what we would find and thinking about how easy it would be to get lost in the underground maze around us. I marveled at how anyone could spend so much of their life underground and retain their sanity.

As we passed through various chambers, we were shown sculptures in the salt. Hundreds of years ago, some anonymous miner in the depths of the earth saw the candlelight reflected in the salt and realized that it could be a wonderful medium for carving. Perhaps he dreamed of being an artist like Leonardo da Vinci or Michelangelo. Maybe he spent his lunch or after-work hours creating his own masterpiece, one that would never be on display in a sumptuous museum or sunlit cathedral. It would only serve to inspire other miners like himself. Perhaps he hoped that in the deep he could show them the way to God. Eventually, others began to carve as well.

Four hundred forty-three feet beneath the surface of the earth, the miners created a chapel. On the walls, they depicted the life of Jesus, from the nativity to the resurrection. Maybe they realized that they desperately needed God’s protection and care as they entered the forbidding darkness.

Who would have thought that light shining on salt would cause it to gleam like marble? Who could imagine that men who do such manual labor would have time and inspiration to create masterpieces? Our guide invited us to test the acoustics, reputed to be some of the best in the world, and told us how people still bring their children into the salt mines if they have asthma or allergies to benefit from the healing power of the salty air.

After an elevator ride back to the surface, I continued thinking about the salt mine. I’m not a sculptor, artist, or composer, but it’s important to me that I am able to create something through my writing. Whatever you do can become something that will inspire others.

Life is not all sunlight and blue skies. Even in the dark places, a tiny candle can lead us to find our purpose. The sweat and tears won’t last, but the beauty we create in the spaces of our lives can live on and enlighten someone else’s darkness.

—

1 Peter 3:16 ESV / Having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.

1 Peter 2:12 ESV / Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.

1 Peter 3:15 ESV / But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,

LIGHT IN DARK PLACES

In The Fellowship of the Ring, the elven “Lady of Light” Galadriel presents Frodo with a crystal phial containing the light of Eärendil’s star. “It will shine brighter when night is about you,” she promises; and sure enough, over the course of their quest, Frodo and Sam use the light on a number of occasions to avoid harm.

The Phial of Galadriel wasn’t only a lamp to light their physical way, but it could also infuse courage and hope into the bearer. Such a gift would come in handy for sure on our own journey through life, but even the light of Eärendil was occasionally subdued in a hostile environment. This issue of Activated is about an even more potent light that nothing is able to dim.

Speaking of Himself, Jesus said, “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it. I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”

God’s light has the power to soften the sting of wounds and heal the loneliness and sickness of our souls. In the furrows of despair, it can plant the seeds of hope and enlighten the deepest valleys of sorrow. It can illuminate the path and lead us through the darkest night into a new dawn.

Even though we encounter difficulties and hardships along our way, even though it sometimes feels like the darkness of fear, worry, or doubt is closing in, we can trust that God’s light and love will always be with us. “God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble.” “He won’t let you down, and he won’t abandon you.”

May He be a light to you in dark places, when all other lights go out.

—

John 1:5 (NIV) The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

John 8:12 (NIV) When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

Psalm 46:1 (NIV) For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. According to alamoth. A song.
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.

THE WORLD’S BEST PICTURE

The other night I watched a fascinating documentary about the famous fresco The Resurrection, by Piero della Francesca, painted around 1463 in Tuscany, Italy. Jesus is in the center of the composition, portrayed at the moment of His resurrection. He is seen rising above four soldiers sleeping at His tomb, illustrating the difference between the human and divine spheres.

The symbolism continues in the background landscape. On one side of Jesus, we see old, dead, leafless trees; on the other side, the trees are young and flourishing, reminding us that Christ’s resurrection from the dead is an affirmation of eternal life for all who place their hope in Him—“Because I live, you will live also.” Aldous Huxley described the masterpiece as “the greatest picture in the world,” but it was the story of its preservation during the Second World Warthat capturedmy attention.

Toward the end of World War II, the Allies were fighting to rid Tuscany of the German occupation. Some British forces arrived on the hills overlooking the town of Sansepolcro, where the building housing The Resurrection is found, and orders were to begin shelling at once.

At this point, British artillery officer Tony Clarke remembered having read Huxley’s 1925 essay describing the painting, and he faced a dilemma. In the end, the realization that the painting he had read about was located in the town below caused the art-lover to go against the orders he’d received—risking court-martial—by holding back his troops from firing.

As it turned out, the German occupiers had already left and the British troops were able to easily liberate the town the following day. Both the town and the painting survived unscathed, owing their narrow escape to Tony Clarke’s determination and a line in a book. For having saved their town from destruction, the appreciative residents of Sansepolcro later named a street after him.

I don’t know if the officer was a believer, nor Huxley, the satirical writer. Still, their words and actions helped keep this portrayal of the resurrection of Jesus as a testimony for generations to come. To me, this is a vivid reminder of divine intervention in the most unlikely of circumstances. Just a few words remembered at the right time can be used by God to answer the prayers of His children in need of protection.

—

Romans 12:19 ESV / Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”

Psalm 17:8 ESV / Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings,

Psalm 46:1 ESV / To the choirmaster. Of the Sons of Korah. According to Alamoth. A Song. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

COURAGE UNDER FIRE

It could be said that there are many types of heroism. First, the everyday heroic acts that are performed by unsung heroes that step in to save the day in ways that we infrequently hear of. Second, the famous heroes we admire—pioneers in medicine, defenders of peace and justice, rescuers of the lost, champions of faith. And then, in a league of His own, is the Superhero of all time: Jesus, who conquered death for Himself and all who believe.

Unlike most fictional superheroes, Jesus doesn’t keep His powers solely for His own use, but also shares them with His followers. “He who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also.”

This thought brings us full circle to our everyday lives. Where can we find courage under fire? Whether the fire comes in the form of sickness, financial difficulties, relationship breakdown, disability, loss of employment, bereavement, or any of the other myriad challenges on life’s pathway, it takes heroism to keep going in these circumstances, keeping faith, continuing our work, helping others despite the turmoil in our own lives.

We may admire famous heroes from history and be inspired by their example. But to find strength for this type of everyday heroism, we need the assistance of our Superhero who promises, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness,” or as the apostle Paul expressed it, “How very great is his power at work in us who believe.”

Dear Jesus,
May Your peace enable me to endure my challenges;
May Your compassion empower me to care for those around me;
May Your joy encourage me;
May Your example inspire me to serve;
May Your kindness energize me to be considerate of others;
May Your determination embolden me to make the most of my life.
Give me Your courage under the fire of difficulty,
And may Your saving grace bring me to peace with God.

—

1 Corinthians 15:25-26 (NIV) For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death.

John 5:25 (NIV) Very truly I tell you, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live.

John 14:12 (NIV) Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.

TRIBUTE TO A BUTTERFLY

Andja was born in 1962 in the former Yugoslavian republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina. When war broke out in the 1990s, Andja’s family fled as refugees to Vojnic, a small town in Croatia. Her husband was mentally scarred from the atrocities of ethnic cleansing and had to be permanently hospitalized, and she found herself struggling to raise their three sons alone while struggling with diabetes and psoriasis. She survived by working the land around her hut and through the aid of humanitarian organizations. And that’s how we first met in May 2000.

We became friends and continued to visit for years. In spite of all her difficulties, Andja always received us with a smile. Her enthusiasm for life was so contagious that we eventually started bringing others suffering from depression to her home as therapy. As soon as they’d meet her, they’d feel much better!

In time, Andja decided there must be a way she could help in return, so although we were bringing her aid, she would gather a bag of zucchinis, potatoes, and other vegetables from her garden to “give back to the community.”

In 2005, the government gave her family a house and new plot of land; although unfinished, it was a big step up from the shack they’d lived in for years. She was enthusiastic about what seemed like the beginning of a better life, but her disease progressed until she lost her sight in one eye. The next year, she also lost sight in the other.

Andja was taken to a hospital on a number of occasions between 2005 and 2012. Her prospects of survival were slim, but joy and zest for life won the battle, and although she eventually lost both legs, she would still eagerly join in songs and discussions. As one 17-year-old boy put it, “She has the ability to see her cup half-full, even when it’s practically empty!”

A few months ago, Andja passed on quietly in her sleep, “like a butterfly” we were told. It was impressive to see the number of people who gathered for her funeral. After all, she was “only” a simple refugee woman who had lived in that town for a few years, yet obviously she had touched many people’s lives.

Anyone who had the privilege of meeting Andja cries upon remembering her, but smiles at the same time, because Andja has now become a legend.

—

James 1:2-4 ESV / Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

Philippians 4:6 ESV / Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

Hebrews 13:5 ESV / Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

THE WINNER

I was watching some small children play soccer (football). They were only five or six years old, but they were playing a real and serious game. There were two uniformed teams, coaches, and a small crowd of parents watching from the sidelines. The teams seemed quite evenly matched, and as a casual acquaintance of one of the families, I was able to enjoy the game without too many anxieties about who won or lost. I only wished the parents and coaches could have done the same!

Nobody scored in the first period. The young players were hilarious. They were clumsy and earnest as only children can be. They fell over their own feet, stumbled over the ball, and kicked into the air, but they didn’t seem to care.—They were having fun!

In the second period, the Team One coach pulled out what must have been his A-team players and put in the substitutes, with the exception of his best player, whom he left as goalie. The game took a dramatic turn. I guess winning is important even when you are five years old, because the Team Two coach left his best players in, and the Team One subs were just no match for them.

Team Two swarmed around the little fellow at the goal. He was a great footballer for the age of five, but no match for three or four who were equally as good. Team Two began to score.

The little goalie gave it his all, recklessly throwing his body in front of incoming balls, trying valiantly to stop them. Team Two scored two quick goals. This infuriated the young goalie. He shouted, ran, dove. Even though he did all he could, it wasn’t enough, and before long, they scored a third goal.

I soon learned who the goalie’s parents were. I could tell that his dad had just come from the office, tie and all. They had been yelling encouragement to their son, but after that third goal, the little kid changed. He could see it was no use; he couldn’t stop them. He didn’t quit, but futility was written all over his face.

His father changed too. He had been urging his son to try harder, yelling advice and encouragement. But then he became anxious. He tried to say that it was okay, and to hang in there.

After the fourth goal, I had an idea what was going to happen. The little boy needed help so badly and there was no help to be had. He retrieved the ball from the net, handed it to the referee, and burst into tears. He just stood there while huge tears rolled down both cheeks. Then he went to his knees.

As the father rose to his feet, his wife clutched his wrist and said, “Don’t, Jim. You’ll embarrass him.”

But the boy’s father tore loose and ran onto the field, suit, tie, dress shoes, and all. He charged onto the field and picked up his son and hugged him and kissed him and cried with him. I have never been so proud of any man in my life.

He carried him off the field, and when they got close to the sidelines, I heard him say, “Son, I’m so proud of you. You were great out there. I want everybody to know that you are my son.”

“Daddy,” the boy sobbed, “I couldn’t stop them. I tried and tried, and they kept scoring on me.”

“Scotty, it doesn’t matter how many times they score on you. I’m proud of you. I want you to go back out there and finish the game. I know you want to quit, but you can’t. And son, you’re going to get scored on again, but it doesn’t matter. Go on, now.”
I could tell it made a difference. When you’re all alone, you’re getting scored on, and you can’t stop them, it means a lot to know that it doesn’t matter to those who love you.

The little guy ran back on to the field. Team Two scored two more times, but it was okay.

I get scored on every day. I try so hard. I recklessly throw my body in every direction. I fume and rage. I struggle with every ounce of my being. The tears come, and I go to my knees, helpless. And my heavenly Father rushes out on the field, right in front of the crowd—the whole jeering, laughing world—and He picks me up. He hugs me and says, “I am so proud of you! You were great out there. I want everybody to know that you are My child, and I declare you the winner!”

—

Romans 8:37-39 ESV / No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

1 John 4:18 ESV / There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.

Jeremiah 29:11 ESV / For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

SALT OF THE EARTH

As Christians, one of the things we strive for is to be agents of change in the lives of others and ultimately in society. That can mean making waves or going against the flow. Not everything Christians do and value will always be in harmony with the status quo.

Over a decade ago, then-Pope John Paul II was speaking to university students about overcoming the temptation of mediocrity and conformity. He said, “Following Christ, the crucified King, believers learn that to reign is to serve, seeking the good of others, and they discover that the real meaning of love is expressed in the sincere gift of self.” He stated that when life is lived with this spirit, the Christian becomes the “salt of the earth.”

As Christians, we are called to spice things up with the seasoning of faith we bring. In Colossians, Paul said, “Live wisely among those who are not believers and make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be gracious and attractive, seasoned with salt, so that you will have the right response for everyone.”

This seems to present a good balance of “making the most of every opportunity” in our witness to those who are unbelievers while ensuring that our speech is both gracious and attractive, and seasoned with the salt of our faith and Christian example. That is what Paul concludes will enable us to have the right response to everyone, or as Peter said, to “always be ready to give an answer when someone asks you about your hope.”

Preserving the saltiness
Pliny the Elder, the first-century Roman naturalist and historian, wrote in one of his encyclopedias, “Nothing is more useful than salt and sunshine.” Jesus said, “Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again?” His answer: “Have salt in yourselves.”

It’s up to each of us to carry those qualities of salt within us, so that we can season the world around us with His flavoring. The goal of having an alive, deep, and meaningful relationship with Jesus, of manifesting a Christian example and following Jesus’ teachings, of working in unity with others, has always been to be able to be “the salt of the earth,” part of “the light of the world, a city set on a hill” that attracts others to God, so that they too can come to know and love Him, and go on themselves to help others to do the same.

As we strive to live and hold true to our Christian values, we can fulfill His commission to be the spice of life in this world, to give its full flavor and meaning to others, to be preservers of the good, and to share our faith—the true currency of the world—with others.

Salt is a necessity of life and is a mineral that was used since ancient times in many cultures as a seasoning, a preservative, a disinfectant, a component of ceremonial offerings, and as a unit of exchange. The Bible contains numerous references to salt. In various contexts, it is used metaphorically to signify permanence, loyalty, durability, fidelity, usefulness, value, and purification.
—John L. McKenzie (1910–1991), American Catholic theologian

In the ancient biblical world, salt was a precious commodity. It gave flavor and zest to food; it served as an important preservative; salt also made people thirst for something more. Jesus wanted His disciples to give flavor and zest to the world through His teaching; to preserve the truth as He proclaimed it to the world; to make the world thirst for more. … If we do this as His disciples, we, too, will also be “light of the world.” Being the light of the world means, for Christians, spreading everywhere the light that comes from on high. It means fighting darkness due to evil and sin and often caused by ignorance, prejudice, and selfishness. The more we look on the face of Jesus, like an impressionist painting, the more light we see and the more we are transfigured by it. By their deeds the disciples are to influence the world for good.
—Thomas Rosica (b. 1959), CEO of Canada’s Salt + Light Television network

He who stays not in his littleness loses his greatness.
—Saint Francis de Sales (1567–1622)

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Colossians 4:5-6 (NIV) Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.

1 Peter 3:15 (NIV) But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,

Mark 9:50 (NIV) “Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? Have salt among yourselves, and be at peace with each other.”

ACHIEVING GREATNESS

You may not feel great or as if you have hero-like qualities of your own; even the apostle Paul lamented, “I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.” Yet God can make more of us than we are, if we avail ourselves of the help of His Son, Jesus. “Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” [A hero is] someone admired for their achievements and noble qualities; I propose to you without hesitation that heroes are all around us. They face challenges each and every day, and they do so with integrity and humility.
—William D. Holland

True heroism is remarkably sober, very undramatic. It is not the urge to surpass all others at whatever cost, but the urge to serve others, at whatever cost.
—Arthur Ashe (1943–1993), African American World No. 1 professional tennis player and winner of three Grand Slam titles

Who decided … that heroes have to wear capes or have superpowers?
—Josh Putnam, writing about a community project to take photographs “celebrating the everyday heroes in our midst.”3

My own heroes are the dreamers, those men and women who tried to make the world a better place than when they found it, whether in small ways or great ones. Some succeeded, some failed, most had mixed results … but it is the effort that’s heroic, as I see it. Win or lose, I admire those who fight the good fight.
—George R. R. Martin (b. 1948), American author of the A Song of Fire and Iceseries of epic fantasy novels

True greatness, true leadership, is achieved not by reducing men to one’s service, but by giving oneself in selfless service to them.
—Author unknown

Invisible heroes may never make it into our school textbooks, garner their own Wikipedia entries, or have their own YouTube video that goes viral. But they are all indispensable members of our society. These hidden heroes are also our most essential heroes.
—Scott T. Allison4

The longer I live the more I am convinced that each of us has some hero-like qualities. We all face challenges. We all face hardships. We all encounter, during our lifetime, moments when we can rise above our basest of animal instincts and become angels of a higher calling. It is at that time, when we answer that calling, that we become a hero in the truest sense of the word.
—William D. Holland

And if a lowly singer dries one tear,
Or soothes one humble human heart in pain,
Be sure his homely verse to God is dear,
And not one stanza has been sung in vain.
—Walter Malone (1866–1915), American lawyer and poet

No one is useless in this world who lightens the burden of it for anyone else.
—Charles Dickens (1812–1870), English writer and social critic
I long to accomplish great and noble tasks, but it is my chief duty to accomplish humble tasks as though they were great and noble. The world is moved along, not only by the mighty shoves of its heroes, but also by the aggregate of the tiny pushes of each honest worker.
—Helen Keller (1880–1968), deafblind American author, political activist, and lecturer

The world measures greatness by money, or eloquence, or intellectual skill, or even by prowess on the field of battle. But here is the Lord’s standard: “Whosoever shall humble himself as this little child, the same is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”5
—John Henry Jowett (1864–1923), English pastor and author

Man’s greatest actions are performed in minor struggles. Life, misfortune, isolation, abandonment, and poverty are battlefields which have their heroes—obscure heroes who are at times greater than illustrious heroes.
—Victor Hugo (1802–1885), French poet, novelist, and dramatist of the Romantic Movement

Do not confuse notoriety and fame with greatness. Many of the titled in today’s world obtained their fame and fortune outside their own merit. On the other hand, I have met great people in the most obscure roles. Greatness is a measure of one’s spirit, not a result of one’s rank in human affairs. Nobody, least of all mere human beings, confers greatness upon another, for it is not a prize but an achievement. Greatness can crown the head of a janitor just as readily as it can come to someone of high rank.
—Sherman G. Finesilver (1927–2006), United States federal judge

—

Psalm 25:9 (NIV)
He guides the humble in what is right
and teaches them his way.

Proverbs 22:4 (NIV)
Humility is the fear of the Lord;
its wages are riches and honor and life.

1 Peter 5:5 (NIV) In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because,
“God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”

AVALANCHE!

Victor was a carabinero, or police officer, stationed at the remote Chilean customs compound known as Los Libertadores, high in the Andes on the border with Argentina. Since Victor had received special training in mountain rescue work, he was usually assigned to dangerous areas like this one. He enjoyed the mountains, but missed his family.

It was July 3—the heart of winter in the southern hemisphere—and a snowstorm raged outside. With winds of 100 kilometers (over 60 miles) per hour and the temperature at -15°C (5°F) before the windchill factor, Victor and the 57 other people in the camp were bunkered in for the night.

Suddenly, Victor heard a deep rumbling and instinctively looked at his watch. It was 8:38 pm. Since small tremors are common in that part of Chile, Victor didn’t think much of it at first, but the shaking grew stronger. Then the lights went out.

Seconds later, the roof collapsed and Victor found himself trapped between a wall and a large piece of furniture. The temperature around him dropped quickly, and Victor wondered how he would ever come out of this alive.

As Victor would find out later, the high winds had caused an avalanche at the top of a nearby peak and sent a mountain of snow down on the customs complex.

Victor managed to pry himself free from the rubble and dig his way out of the snow. Once outside, he realized that the other buildings around had also collapsed.

Then Victor heard a child’s cry and he dug through the wreckage until he found a baby girl. The child was wearing only a diaper and a T-shirt, but was otherwise unharmed. Victor quickly put her inside his warm police coat, where she could receive warmth from his chest.

With no heat and almost no shelter, unless help came soon, the survivors would all freeze to death. Before the avalanche, the camp’s only means of communication with the rest of the world had been a two-way radio, and now it was damaged beyond repair. Victor quickly realized that it might be days before anyone would even know of their predicament. Their only hope was for someone to walk to the nearest neighbor, a ski lodge about two kilometers away, and organize a rescue.

Walking two kilometers through snow is normally about as difficult for Victor as walking across the room, but under these circumstances—through a storm and huge snowdrifts, in the dark, and carrying a baby—it meant almost certain death. Victor asked for volunteers to go with him. No one came forward, so he set off alone, carrying the baby under his coat.

He managed to find some snowshoes, which helped him stay on top of the deep snowbanks, but the high winds whipped up the fallen snow until it seemed like a blizzard. Most of the time, Victor couldn’t see more than one step ahead. He knew the general direction of the lodge when he set out, but in the dark and with near-zero visibility, he also knew there was a very good chance that he could walk right past it without even knowing.

Eight hours later, Victor stumbled into the lodge, exhausted.

After turning the child over to others and then getting a hot shower and a quick meal, he was ready to lead one of the three rescue teams. As a result of his actions, 31 people were saved.

As I listened to Victor tell his story some months later, one important detail was missing. I asked about it, but Victor kept evading the question.

The next day Victor’s wife showed me her scrapbook of newspaper clippings about the avalanche and how Victor received a hero’s commendation from the president of Chile. I combed the articles, but not one explained how Victor had managed to find the lodge in a blizzard and near total darkness.

At last I persuaded Victor’s wife to reveal his secret. “He doesn’t talk about this,” she explained, “because he thinks people will say he’s crazy.” She paused for a moment—probably wondering if I would say the same—then continued.

“As Victor was walking through the blizzard, a bright light appeared off to one side, almost like a streetlight. But as Victor trudged through the deep snow, it moved with him and it lit the way, more like a spotlight than a streetlight. The light led Victor straight to the lodge. Many times along the way, Victor sank so deep into snowdrifts that he couldn’t free himself, but each time he felt someone grab him from behind, pull him up, and set him on his way again.

“And there’s one more thing. The light that guided him was no ordinary light. When Victor looked directly into it, instead of radiating from some sort of bulb, the light was coming from Jesus’ face.”

—

Matthew 26:52-54 ESV / Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place. For all who take the sword will perish by the sword. Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then should the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must be so?”

Psalm 46:1 ESV / To the choirmaster. Of the Sons of Korah. According to Alamoth. A Song. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

Revelation 13:8 ESV / And all who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain.

MY HEROES, WARTS AND ALL

One thing that seems to be unique to the Bible is how the “heroes of faith”—with the exception of Jesus, of course—were far from perfect men and women. As the saying goes, they were portrayed “warts and all.” I love history, and if you read a lot of ancient histories or literature, you get used to heroes being lionized. Their faults, if they had any, seem to have been redacted. But not so with the heroes of the Bible. Personally, I think the warts-and-all approach gives so much more credibility to the Bible.

I get particular encouragement from reading about Jesus’ closest disciples while He was on earth. Let’s start with Peter.

Traditionally regarded as the chief of the apostles, Peter has the dubious distinction of having denied that he even knew Jesus on the very night that He needed him most. And not just once but three times. “But he began to curse and swear, ‘I do not know this man you are talking about!’” Cursing and swearing too? That doesn’t sound very saintly.

John called himself in his Gospel “the disciple Jesus loved,” but Matthew records an incident that doesn’t put John and his brother, James, in a very good light: “Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came up to [Jesus] with her sons, and kneeling before him she asked him for something. And he said to her, ‘What do you want?’ She said to him, ‘Say that these two sons of mine are to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom.’ Jesus answered, ‘You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink?’ They said to him, ‘We are able.’ He said to them, ‘You will drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.’ And when the ten heard it, they were indignant at the two brothers.”

This wasn’t even the first time the disciples had argued about who would be at the top of the heap. “And they came to Capernaum. And when [Jesus] was in the house he asked them, ‘What were you discussing on the way?’ But they kept silent, for on the way they had argued with one another about who was the greatest.”

And then there was Matthew the publican. Publicans were tax collectors and were universally regarded as scoundrels. The Romans had installed the publican system as a way to raise taxes from conquered territories. They auctioned off the tax rights of a region to the highest bidder, who then promised to turn in that amount of money to the imperial treasury on an annual basis. In reality, these tax farmers were free to collect however much they could and keep the surplus for themselves. They could essentially decide on a whim how much they wanted as taxes. It was a ruthless and thoroughly unfair system that ground the poor into poverty. Some of the biggest names in Rome, such as Brutus and Cassius, co-conspirators in the plot to murder Caesar, were reportedly owners of such companies—although they ran them through third parties, because technically, Romans were not allowed to engage in such a sordid business.

So Matthew was part of this racket, probably working as a subcontractor. He even seems to have had a choice spot at one of the city’s gates where he could collect duties on all goods going in and out. To pious Jews, his financial dealings with Gentiles even rendered him ritually impure. Not an upstanding member of Jewish society by any stretch of the imagination.

And the rest of the disciples? Andrew, Thaddeus, Philip, and Nathaniel (aka Bartholomew) barely show up in the four gospels, but we do know that another—Simon—was formerly a member of the zealot party of violent revolutionaries pledged to overthrow the Roman occupiers and their puppet rulers. And of course, Thomas’ claim to fame is that he doubted Jesus’ resurrection. Not to mention Mary Magdalene, who is reputed to have been a prostitute before Jesus cast seven devils out of her—yet she was the one to whom He first appeared after His resurrection.

And what about the hero of the book of Acts? Paul was a converted Pharisee who, in his own words, had previously “persecuted the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it.”

But these disciples—ordinary people made extraordinary by their faith and loyalty to Jesus—are some of my heroes and heroines. They are an inspiration to me, because despite their human weaknesses and lacks, they were faithful to God’s calling and did wonderful things for God and their fellow men.

—

John 21:20 (NIV) Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them. (This was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said, “Lord, who is going to betray you?”)

Mark 9:33-34 (NIV) They came to Capernaum. When he was in the house, he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the road?” But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest.

Galatians 1:13 (NIV) For you have heard of my previous way of life in Judaism, how intensely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it.