Heroes or Obedient Lives

Wesley Autrey was minding his own business as he prepared to take his two girls, 4 and 6, home on a New York Subway. There he saw a young college student in trouble having a seizure. That's when he jumped to action. It eventually took him jumping down onto the tracks, pulling the young man into the trough between the rails and laying on top of him while a train rolled over them while his young daughters watched from the platform along with dozens of other gaping New Yorkers.

Both were saved from serious injury and Wesley Autrey is a hero in eyes of a young man, New York City and now the world (as he told his story on national TV last night and this morning on Good Morning America.) But what he said about himself and his actions spoke volumes. He said what he did was what he expected all New Yorkers should do, show mercy to their neighbors. Okay, he didn't say it exactly like that, but that's what he was saying. That if more people would act like that, the world would be a different place.

And it takes a 50 year old construction worker from New York to tell us that?

We can always use more heroes like Wesley Autrey. They inspire us, give us warm feelings of hope for humanity, make us believe that we are not all that bad. Even in NYC amazing acts of kindness and mercy take place every day. (although not quite with the same fanfare!) But they happen. But then again, do we really need more heroes?

As I read the scriptures I find that if the people of God just obeyed God's ways of living then stories like Wesley's become less sensational and what makes the news is when someone fails to show mercy, stands and watches, doesn't help or care. It's pretty clear which one is the more common behavior.

"If you see your fellow's donkey or ox injured along the road, don't look the other way. Help him get it up and on its way." (Deut. 22:4, Msg)

Heroes are just people who give of their lives in ways that others wish that they could. Heroes are stand ins so that we don't have to. Heroes are people who give live they way we should! It's the God-obedient life lived out, which means...

...You're supposed to be a hero! And so am I.

It's what God wants from us and how to show God's mercy to a world just waiting for a hero...

...you!

Peace ><>
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