I have to admit, I thoroughly enjoy sports. Especially football. As everyone knows, my hometown of Detroit has been making football waves lately, not because of our wonderful Lions (can you just sense the sarcasm?), but because the city hosted the Superbowl this past weekend. I stayed out of downtown, but I heard it was one nonstop blast. Everywhere you looked, you saw pro ball players, singers, and entertainers such as Jimmy Kimmell. The city was crawling with celebrities.
In these Hollywood times, we love celebrities, don't we? Some so much that they know more about Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes than the Lord Jesus, or the Bible, or even our spouse. We can get so fired up about meeting Alan Iverson or Ben Wallace or Steve Yzerman, but what have these people done to affect our lives?
When I was a kid, we seemed to know the real heros. If the teacher would have asked my first grade class what we wanted to be when we grew up, the words "police officer", "firefighter", and "doctor" would get the majority of mention. Nowadays, its "Pro basketball player", or "a rapper", etc. Yet these people are often terrible role models, with police records and jail time. Who did I want to be like as a kid? That's easy, my dad. He has always been a loving father, working hard to take care of his kids. He taught me how to live. He demonstrated what an honest person was. He had integrity. Yea, he taught me how to throw a baseball, and how to swing a golf club. But more than that, he gave me an example of what it means to simply do the right thing.
We need heros today, not celebrities. Thank God when a pro athelete has a testimony of Jesus Christ. They realize that they aren't just a role model for up and coming kids hoping for a shot in the big leagues, but they model what integrity is, and teach people what it means to live "above the rim", and I'm not talking basketball.
That being said, let's look to our own Eternal Hero, the Lord Jesus Christ. Do you want to see a hero at work? Read the Gospels. A hero is someone who lays down their life for someone else. One of my favorite scripture passages is Philippians 2:5-8, "Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross." That's my hero!
God bless you today!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
8 comments:
Touche' and amen!!! How the world would be different if Jesus truly was our standard to live by and immulate(sp?)
By the way, how are things going?
OK, we're getting caught up now, and I just got a 2nd job yesterday, back to delivering pizza a few nights a week. Kind of embarassing for a 30 year old, but the cash out every night is nice. It will definitely help. You and Darrell keep praying for us.
BTW, my wife is student teaching this semester. She graduates this April from Eastern Michigan U. Pray that she can find a job teaching close by our home, we aren't financially in shape to move anywhere, and we are planning on planting a church in our area, too. We need all the prayers we can get! God bless!
~Jeff
omg - sorry, but people who are firstly in love with JESUS or GOD are stupid. This is what I think. Why do you have a wife then? Be in love with JESUS, he's all you need! Kids? NO! You don't need kids, you've got Jesus lying anywhere as dust in Israel or whereever. But that dust is all you need to be happy... Really, get a grip. Believing in God is one thing that's absolutely OK, but being in love with JESUS above all is very manic.
Hey, everyone, my first bashing post! I'll keep that up as trophy! Oh, well, Jesus did say that if he was hated, we can expect it!
BTW, anonymous, whoever you are, you obviously don't understand what being a follower of Jesus Christ is about. Did my wife and kids die so I could be forgiven? No, only Jesus did. For you too.
You see, besides forgiveness, Jesus makes us better people. He makes the love that we have and show people much more pure than it could ever be without him. I pray that you would come to know the love that Jesus has for you, too. I can tell that you need simply from the tone of your post. It must have really struck a chord in your heart. I am praying for you. I don't know who you are, but God certainly does. God bless you.
~Jeff
Praying for you also Anon.....
Good post Jeff.... I want Him to be my hero... but I also pray that he will be my children's hero as well!
You're right- we need someone to look up to and that someone is indeed JESUS! I tell our church people all the time that I may fail them- but JESUS never will!
Have you ever heard the song by Twila Paris called "I See You Standing" ? Every time I hear that song, it makes me want to be that kind of person. The kind of person that gives others encouragement when they feel weak. I thank God we can look to Jesus- the Author and the Finisher of our faith as the Ultimate example.
Good post Bro.
-henry
Never be embarassed to admit you're willing to work to support your family! I'd think much less of you if you thought the job beneath you so you let your family suffer. Actually, I think Darrell was close to that age when he worked for Dominos delivering pizza trying to put us through school. I've always been proud of my husband because he is a hard worker no matter what profession he was in at the time. (I'd bet your wife would say the same about you if you asked her.) God has blessed Darrell's willingness to do what ever needed to be done and his perseverence. It believe our diverse job histories have helped prepare us for the ministry. There aren't too many people that have worked jobs that we have not done something similar:) Hang in there and keep the faith. It will get better, I promise and more importantly, God promises.
Oh, she is. She tries to make a point to let me know that she appreciates what I do, and my willingness to work to make ends meet. It's just my perception, I guess. But of course, I would never let my family suffer, so I'll work any job (as long as it's legal!) for them. Thanks for the encouragement, I know that God is bringing us out of this. God bless!
Post a Comment