Who is YOUR Hero?

 

What exactly is a "Hero?" As I read Jeremiah 38 and 39 this morning my mind drifted to the thoughts of heroes. I tried to think who my hero was as a kid. I thought of Neil Armstrong who was the first man who walked on the moon. I thought about superman, a fictional character, and had to admit the term "superhero' entered my thoughts. Then I realized there were many fictional characters who achieved the label of hero, even though they weren't real. So I started to think about REAL HEROES. Who are the REAL HEROES in my life? 

Who is YOUR Hero?

I really had a hard time narrowing down the list to that ONE PERSON who I considered my hero. I even looked up the definition of hero - a person who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities. As I thought about that definition, I saw some flaws. Calling someone a hero because of "outstanding achievements" made me think of professional athletes, actors, actresses, and politicians. I think we can all agree they have some outstanding achievements attached to their careers. But, I have a real problem labeling those people heroes. 

Ebed-melech was a REAL HERO. I can hear you right now....... Who is Ebed-Melech? If you would have asked me that question yesterday, I would have had no answer. Read these verses from Jeremiah:

"But. Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, an important court official heard that Jeremiah was in the cistern. At that time the king was holding court at the Benjamin Gate, so Ebed-melech rushed from the palace to speak with him. "My lord the king," he said, "These men have done a very evil thing in putting Jeremiah the prophet into the cistern. He will soon die of hunger, for almost all the bread in the city is gone." So the king told Ebed-melech, "Take thirty of my men with you, and pull Jeremiah out of the cistern before he dies." So Ebed-melech took the men with him and went to a room in the palace beneath the treasury, where he found some old rags and discarded clothing. He carried these to the cistern and lowered them to Jeremiah on a rope. Ebed-melech called down to Jeremiah, "Put these rags under your armpits to protect you from the ropes." Then when Jeremiah was ready, they pulled him out. So Jeremiah was returned to the courtyard of the guard -- the palace prison -- where he remained." (Jeremiah 38:7-13)

It may be obvious why Ebed-melech was a hero. But, if we don't know the context of what he did, we miss a key point. The king was Zedekiah, a spineless "leader" who could not stand up to the pressure and influence of the radicals surrounding him. In Jeremiah 38:5, when his government officials were imploring the king to throw Jeremiah in the cistern, the king said, "All right, Do as you like. I can't stop you." WHAT? Zedekiah was the KING. The king has rein over all the activities of the kingdom. It is ridiculous to think he could not stop this cruel punishment. 

Ebed-melech was bold and had no problem taking a very unpopular stand to right a wrong. His compassion was defnitely hero-like. He even gathered rags to make sure Jeremiah was not injured as they removed him. He truly cared for saving Jeremiah. He stepped in to save the life of a man dedicated to the Lord. He is a real hero. 

Later on in Jeremiah 39 we find God speaking to Jeremiah:

"The Lord has given the following message to Jeremiah while he was still in prison: 'Say to Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, 'This is what the Lord of Heaven's Armies, the God of Israel, says: I will do to this city everything I have threatened. I will send disaster, not prosperity. You will see its destruction, but I will rescue you from those you fear so much. Because you trusted me, I will give you your life as a reward. I will rescue you and keep you safe. I, the Lord, have spoken.'" (Jeremiah 39:15-18)

Ebed-melech did what was right. He had no expectation of being rewarded. He just did what was right in the eyes of the Lord. That is what heroes do. They do what is right. They expect nothing in return. Doing what is right is just a part of who they are. They would not label themselves a hero. They would not think they are anything special. THAT IS A TRUE HERO!

Who do you have in your life that fits THAT definition of HERO?