by Carissa Johnson

Created on: February 06, 2010   Last Updated: February 13, 2010

I recently had an email conversation with a fireman named Lucas who had to tell a friend that he had to cut his best friend out of a car. Awed by his courage when he told me this, I thanked him for his service. He said, "If you think of it next time you see a man or woman serving their country, I'd ask that you ask him or her how they are. Everyone forgets us or gets mad at us if we cut them off or make them miss a light, but always remember that we love ya enough to die for ya without knowing your name." He selflessly asked me to pray for his brothers in the service, and I realized that I had misunderstood all along the definition of a true hero.

According to the dictionary, a hero is “a man of distinguished courage or ability, admired for his brave deeds and noble qualities.” Unfortunate as it may be, nobody flies through the skies anymore in America wearing tights and a cape, saving babies and kittens from disaster. In fact, nobody ever truly did. American perception of heroism is exaggerated and blown out of proportion, so that success and acknowledgement have come to characterize a hero.

A hero does not save the world on a daily basis, per se; a hero changes the world, as Steven Curtis Chapman put it, “one little heartbeat at a time.” A secular hero always has the trophy wife on his arm, the mansion, the perfect children, and saves the world on his breaks at work.

But a hero is not someone who only does what he does for personal gain. A true American hero lives to be a role model and an example, no matter the sacrifice. A true American hero is all about lifting up the lives of other people and performing deeds that benefit them. A true American hero is selfless and serves at every chance he gets, no matter the risk or the cost it may bring upon himself. In this sense, these heroes give the world hope, and our streets today are filled with them. From the trenches and the battle lines overseas to the alleys and slums back home to the top of a burning, crumbling building, true American heroes can be found everywhere you look.

Many of these heroes are entirely unsung to most of the world, and if they are recognized, it is in the form of medals, badges, and honors. But the sign of a true hero is when he finds his reward in loving, helping, serving, and giving. He does not have to be televised, he does not have to be famous, and he might never get the recognition he truly deserves. Often, he is an ordinary, humble citizen doing his duty for his family, his country, and those he loves. And that is the definition of a true hero. I hope you are challenged to pray for, encourage, and love on firemen and men and women of the service like Lucas, because they truly do love ya enough to die for ya. 

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