Where Have All The Heroes Gone?

The highest award of our country for gallantry is the Congressional Medal of Honor.  Since the first medal awarded to Private Jacob Parrott during the Civil War, there has been 3,457 given to heroes of extraordinary courage.  The most recent soldier to be awarded this country’s highest honor was Sergeant First Class Leroy A. Petry, who saved the lives of his comrades when a grenade landed among them.  Without thought to his own safety he picked up the grenade and tossed it, losing his hand in the process. 

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.  This is what the ancients were commended for.  Hebrews 11:1and 2 (NIV)

In Hebrews 11, the author declares twenty-three times the phrase, “by faith” to describe the actions of these heroes of the Old Testament.  However, the word, commend, comes from the Greek word for witness: martyr.  Like those who gave the “last full measure” and died showing heroism, these witnesses of the faith are said to have been “living by faith when they died.”(v. 13) What is a hero and are there still Bible heroes today? Heroes are not people who do extraordinary things but those who act during extraordinary events because of a set of beliefs or values.  A Medal of Honor winner lays down his life for his/her belief in their country or for the love of his friends and is commended for his actions.  He has given testimony by his sacrifice of what he valued.

Yes, there are still Bible heroes today and many never are recognized for their acts of biblical heroism.  They are living each day “by faith” trusting in God’s provisions and not afraid of the wolf at the door.  They are the unsung hero who is not afraid to tell others of Jesus and “by faith” does not fear rejection or humiliation by those who resist the Word.  They are the Christian custodian who goes to work each day and “by faith” does his/her job as if they were doing it for Jesus.  They are the pastors of small churches who must work at a full time vocation to care for his family while working full time and a half for his avocation—the body of Christ.

There are no medals for biblical heroes but there is a commendation for their sacrifice:

“Well done, good and faithful servant!”