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From our Sabbatical Conference Minister,
Rev. Dr. Becky Beckwith
“Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it."
Psalm 34:14
Who are your heroes? I guess in order to answer that question you need to figure out your definition of a hero? Last week we celebrated and honored Martin Luther King. MLK was a hero. We still look at his life and his legacy with awe. He spoke so eloquently and with such wisdom. Does one need to be like MLK in order to be on your hero list?
Long, long ago at a summer Vacation Bible School program we talked all week about heroes. Jesus was at the top of the list for some obvious reasons. The list of heroes included both men and women, people from all walks of life, children, pets, family members. The list grew and grew.
One learning for all of us is that heroes are not always easy to spot. You don’t need a cape or special outfit to be a hero. The ability to fly is not mandatory. In fact, heroes are moving about in the midst of everyday life, going unnoticed.
Lucas is one of my heroes. He has a way of seeing ‘inside’ of people. He just seems to know when someone needs a hug or a kind word. Lucas was only seven years old when Louie, our 17-year-old Shih Tzu, died. He died the day before Thanksgiving. We told the grandkids of Louie's passing. We also told them that we were still celebrating Thanksgiving since we still had so much to be thankful for.
Thanksgiving Eve I headed off to lead worship and Bob went over to drop something off at Lucas’ home. My husband was taking Louie’s death pretty hard, but I knew the family would not see his tears.
Lucas ran to Bob and cuddled with his Pop Pop. He said he was sorry Louie died. Bob told Lucas it would be hard at night since Louie slept with us. But we would be okay. As Bob was getting ready to leave, Lucas came running over to him.
“Here Pop Pop,” Lucas said as he handed his grandfather his favorite stuffed dog. “You and Nona can borrow my dog to sleep with for a while. Maybe you won’t miss Louie as much."
Someone who shares simple acts of kindness is one of my definitions of a hero. Each and every day, we have the opportunity to be a hero. In our everyday lives, there are opportunities for us to be a hero for someone else. I hope you step up. I also pray that a hero shows up for you when you need one!
Blessings,
Becky Beckwith
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