Heroes

One of my recent favorite movies is “Fireproof,” starring Kirk Cameron and a host of other talented actors.  In this movie, Kirk Cameron plays a firefighter (aka “Caleb Holt”) who is struggling in his marriage, with his faith (or lack thereof), and with personal issues which threaten to destroy him.  In other words, Kirk’s character is bogged down in the muck and mire of life, and he is disillusioned by perceived injustices of a wife who is nursing some big disappointments of her own. 

Because of his profession, everyone sees Caleb as a hero.  Everyone but his own wife, that is.  The viewer is immediately sucked into a world that many can identify with.  As this couple endures emotional hardships throughout the movie, we see the mighty power of Christ working through them, breaking them, and finally, saving them.

“Fireproof” does an extraordinary job at holding our interest because of the tension, drama, and conflict, and a hand clapping resolution at the end. 

Something within all of us wants to love a hero.  Heroes can be as big as life or as unassuming as a sleeping giant.  Often we tend to think of the obvious as our heroes:  firefighters, law enforcement officers, doctors and nurses, teachers.  But heroes can also be found in the not so easily identified:  a parent, our missionaries, cancer survivors, children who are longing to be adopted.

I love to write about heroes.  When creating one for a novel, I tend to want to use the unlikely–someone who is less than perfect, but someone who is striving toward higher aspirations.  Someone who has been through the “fire,” and is being refined day by day.  Sound familiar?  (Side note–the Bible gives us tremendous  examples of many heroes.)

I’m blessed to know some “heroes” myself.  I admire, respect, and love them beyond measure.  (Some of you know who you are…) 

A question for you to ponder… Who is YOUR hero?