Esther comes to mind. She faced the threat of her entire nation being exterminated. Mordecai said to her, “You have obtained royalty for such a time as this.” She believed him. His stirring words spurred her into action as she exclaimed, “Something must be done, and I must do it!” Courageously, she pled her case before the king. As a result, evil Haman was exposed, his plot foiled, and the Jewish people were saved from an ancient holocaust. Esther stood tall against the odds.
Daniel defied the king’s edict to bow down and worship him as a god. His refusal resulted in his spending the night in a lions’ den. In honor of his courage, divine protection kicked in, because of his unswerving faith in the Lord God, it became more like the lions spending the night in Daniel’s den. The prophet stood tall when others shrank back.
In my study of the Scriptures, I’ve noticed a pattern with heroes – the men and women who stand tall and refuse to shrink. First, there’s something wrong on the cultural scene. There exists some sort of outside threat that must be challenged. Second, there’s a principle at stake. The closer you examine the situation, the clearer the principle. A fundamental value or belief is at stake. Third, there’s an element of risk involved for taking heroic measures. Be ready to stand, be ready to be a “hero for God.”
Daniel defied the king’s edict to bow down and worship him as a god. His refusal resulted in his spending the night in a lions’ den. In honor of his courage, divine protection kicked in, because of his unswerving faith in the Lord God, it became more like the lions spending the night in Daniel’s den. The prophet stood tall when others shrank back.
In my study of the Scriptures, I’ve noticed a pattern with heroes – the men and women who stand tall and refuse to shrink. First, there’s something wrong on the cultural scene. There exists some sort of outside threat that must be challenged. Second, there’s a principle at stake. The closer you examine the situation, the clearer the principle. A fundamental value or belief is at stake. Third, there’s an element of risk involved for taking heroic measures. Be ready to stand, be ready to be a “hero for God.”
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