When we think of a hero, we frequently think of fictional personalities from movies, such as Superman. He is able to save innocent people from evil by using his extraordinary strength and ability to fly. He saved lots of people, and this is one of the many things that made him a hero.
With all the movies and comic books from Marvel and Justice League, what makes someone a hero? Do you have to be as strong as Captain America? Or as vigilant as Batman?
In this article, we will learn 3 things about what makes someone a hero.
- Heroes are prayerful.
- Heroes see challenges as an opportunity to grow.
- Heroes depend on others.
Excited to know if you got that inner hero? Let’s find out!
What Makes A Hero
1) Heroes are prayerful.
What? Heroes pray too?!
You might be shocked to know that heroes pray. You see, the difference between heroes in movies and in reality is that heroes in movies are fighting against fictional creatures. In the real world, it’s a totally different story.
The thing is, these heroes don’t wear flashing costumes or even have superpowers. They are oftentimes faced with real, pain-staking problems. Some of these problems may be in the form of infertility, being held captive, or being sick.
There are a few heroes who experienced these problems and they all did one thing in common—they prayed.
Let’s talk about them.
Hannah
In the Bible history, being a woman is hard, especially when you cannot bear children. Being infertile is one of the most degrading situations a woman can be in. Hannah experienced this.
During their time, it was acceptable for men to have two partners. Elkanah had two wives, Peninnah and Hannah. Peninnah had sons and daughters, while Hannah had none.
Adding to the anxiety of being infertile, Hannah felt discrimination from Peninnah because Elkanah loved her more than Peninnah. 1 Samuel 1:6 (NIV) says, “Because the Lord had closed Hannah’s womb, her rival kept provoking her in order to irritate her”.
Hannah felt downhearted and at the same time, hurt. But this didn’t stop her from using her most powerful weapon, which was prayer.
Dr. Barry Black, the 62nd Chaplain of the United States Senate, was interviewed in an ANN in-depth episode about this. According to him, “she [Hannah] prayed with such fervency that the priest Eli thought she was inebriated.”
That’s some serious praying, is it? He added, “when you pray with such passion that folk accuse you of drunkenness, you are really getting down to business with God.”
This didn’t happen just once but many, many times. Hannah is persistent in using prayer as her weapon to fight against her situation. And the Lord found favor in her requests.
1 Samuel 1:20 (NIV) says, “So in the course of time Hannah became pregnant and gave birth to a son.” She even named him Samuel which means “I asked the Lord for him”.
Pastor Sam Neves, the Associate Director of Communication of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, also commented in the same interview. According to him, he also considered Hannah one of the heroines in the Bible. Because aside from her prayer life, Hannah was very faithful. She promised God that if He would give her a son, she would dedicate her son to the ministry.
What great faith and beautiful prayer life, indeed!
Daniel
Imagine being kept as a slave in a location where no one knows who you are. You may have questioned God and blamed Him for your situation.
But Daniel reacted otherwise. He didn’t become victorious because he killed the people who held him captive. He didn’t wear such fancy clothes and come to the scene to rescue the other slaves. He simply prayed.
His prayer life became so fruitful that it paved the way for him to interpret the king’s dream. The king was so impressed with his wisdom and even commended him for his interpretations. Daniel 2:47 (NIV) says, “The king said to Daniel: Surely your God is the God of gods and the Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries, for you were able to reveal this mystery.”
No bloodbath and martial arts were executed in this scene. It was just Daniel and his faith in God.
2) Heroes see challenges as an opportunity to grow.
Yes, heroes love challenges. They see bad things as an opportunity to pray and allow God to work through them.
Heroes see adversity as a chance for them to grow. This is pretty much because they understood the process of how gold is made.
In terms of material value, gold is one of the most demanded. Many industries, manufacturing, and even space travel all rely on its use as currency. But, the process of making gold is what makes it more valuable.
You see, gold’s refining process requires the use of high temperatures. Almost two thousand degrees Fahrenheit is the temperature at which gold melts. Gold must be heated to that extreme level before it can be useful.
While common sense says that when something is heated, it becomes softer, gold reacts otherwise.
This is also the same with heroes. They see trials and circumstances as the “refining process”. For them, having to experience adversity would make them more refined and valuable.
In fact, one of the heroes of the Bible, King David, agrees on this. Psalm 119:71 (NIV) says, “It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees”.
Dr. Black, in the same interview, attested to this. The challenges he faced since he came to the Senate made him “experience the unfolding of God’s loving and prevailing providence”. He added, “these challenges have helped me to see that God often uses the challenges to grow us up and mature us spiritually”.
To become a hero, you have to embrace challenges and see them as a beautiful opportunity to grow.
3) Heroes depend on others.
Yes, to become a hero isn’t a one-man job. They constantly depend on other people.
The most effective leaders avoid the illusion of trying to know everything. Instead, they encircle themselves with those who are knowledgeable and then lead them.
One example is Solomon. Solomon learned how to run a business through people, and his kingdom grew. In the fourth chapter of I Kings, we learn who was in charge of Solomon’s armies, meals, and taxes. Solomon knew how to delegate the tasks and that’s what made him one of the Bible’s most remarkable heroes.
Jesus also did the same. He was more than willing to let someone else do some of the work for Him. The first 18 verses of Luke 10 show that seventy preachers were sent out to spread the word. They were told how to do everything by Him, and then He sent them to preach. Their work was blessed by God, even though they were new and less skilled than the Master.
That is one of the key principles about being a hero: you can be more effective when you work with others. Heroes have the means to bring their heroic impulses to life by delegating and creating groups, making them more successful.
Are You a Hero?
With all this being said, can you call yourself a hero? You can use this checklist to assess yourself:
- Is my personal communication with God constant?
- Am I thankful when I face trials in life?
- Do I find joy in sharing my tasks with others?
If your answer is yes, congratulations! You’re one true hero!
You see, a hero doesn’t need someone to be in a life-or-death situation to accomplish anything heroic.
No flashy suits. No Kryptonite. Just your knees on the ground, arms wide open to adversity, and a heart that is willing to delegate.
If you want to learn more about this ANN in-depth interview, you can watch it here.
Once again, seize every opportunity and be your own hero!
