ALL KINDS OF HEROES

Jonah 3:1-10
1 The word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time: 2 "Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you." 3 Jonah obeyed the word of the Lord and went to Nineveh. . . . 4 He proclaimed: "Forty more days and Nineveh will be overturned." The Ninevites believed God. They declared a fast, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on a sackcloth. . . . 10 When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, He had compassion and did not bring upon them the destruction He had threatened.

If you follow golf a little (or not at all) you probably heard the name Annika Sorenstam a lot during the spring of 2003. She's arguably the best woman golfer in the world. And when she tested her skills by teeing it up against the men, lots of people called her a hero. Others thought Annika was just causing trouble. Her name and face were everywhere.

Did you know her younger sister is a pro golfer too?

During the LPGA championship, Charlotta Sorenstam was in the locker room when broadcast commentator Donna Caponi
started choking. Sorenstam rushed over, hit her on the back a few times, and did the Heimlich. Some people might say she just did what anyone would do. But "in my eyes," Caponi says, "Charlotta is a hero."

So who's the hero--Annika or Charlotta? How about both? Annika is a hero for pushing herself to the limit and persevering despite overwhelming pressure. Charlotta is a hero for keeping a level head and saving a life.

Lots of times, a hero is in the eye of the beholder. The people of Nineveh, after hearing Jonah's preaching and taking it to heart, probably plastered Jonah's face on trading cards and wanted to give him his own talk show. When you and I think of Jonah, he's the guy who ran from God, did a Finding Nemo inside a whale, then pouted when he didn't get his way. So is Jonah a hero? Yes--and no.

We don't all have to sign up for the same heroes. Not all of Jesus' followers have to see everyone from the same point of view. You might think Peter was the coolest disciple; your friend might identify better with John. You might look up to a few Christian athletes; your friend might learn more from reading biographies of long-ago believers.

Who's your hero? There are plenty of good ones to go around! --Tracy Carbaugh

DESTINATION POINTS

* Who's my hero? Why? Would other people see this person as a hero?
* What qualifies someone as a good example? Should I drop them as soon as they fail, or wait and see how they handle it?
* What disqualifies someone from being my spiritual hero?
* What are some ways Jesus is the perfect example of how to live a life that pleases God?

bottom line: Heroes don't have to be superstars.

soul journey