Life is considered to be a beautiful thing. As we gaze at babies, we think of the beauty in their innocence and the prospect of what is to come for the new little life. However, when we hear news reports of man’s inhumanity to man, it can lead even the most optimistic and courageous people to be skeptical about the future of that new life. Just in the last few days, we have seen school shootings leaving children and teens dead or injured, stabbings that left people dead or fighting for their lives, police officers killed, political figures gunned down, an evangelist assassinated – and each of these occurred as we collectively remember the events of 9/11/2001. Receiving less attention, but no less significant, are daily struggles within families: addiction, betrayal, violence, abandonment, destitution, and infirmity. Heavy circumstances make for heavy loads.
In every news story, the harsh, the negative, and the devastating are the primary focus. I want to challenge the negative with the positive. Unless we train ourselves to look for the heroes in every story, we miss the best part. The villain wins. Notice instead that when crimes are committed, there are heroes who go after the perpetrators and those who tend to the victims.
Within families, people rise above the circumstances to become more than they thought they could be; other family members, friends, neighbors, and even strangers step in to lend a helping hand. Organizations, often formed from one person’s own tragedy, offer assistance for body, mind, spirit, and circumstance, to help others facing difficulties that they have gone through. Individual heroes show up every day as teachers lead in our classrooms, law officers strive to keep our communities safe and defend our constitutional rights, and the military protects life, liberty, and sovereignty as a nation.
In the recent school shootings, older students helped and guarded younger ones, even taking bullets for them. Teachers and leaders made themselves into shields. Neighbors rescued and aided the hurt, scared, and fleeing.
During the horror of 9/11, thousands were killed in New York, Washington, and Pennsylvania. However, thousands of first responders, citizens, and even airplane passengers stepped forward to fight evil with good. Some of these heroes even gave their own lives in the battle.
People perform impactful acts of kindness around us every day. We must keep watch for these heroes, otherwise, the evil in the news overtakes us.
Evil wasn’t always here. This world and everything in it, God’s creation, was perfect. Humans chose selfishness and sin. This evil continues to exist. Jesus Christ defeated sin through His death on the cross. He defeated death through His resurrection that followed. He offers us this same victory over sin and death if we follow Him. Jesus is the ultimate hero. He gave Himself for our salvation. “In this world you will have trouble, but cheer up, I have overcome the world.” John 16:33
Jesus’s victory continues to exist and to battle against evil. Jesus says in this world we will have trouble, but He promises we won’t go it alone. He will be with us, giving us courage. After we leave this world, we will spend eternity in heaven with Him, where evil has been banished. When you hear of evil happening, look for the good. Jesus wins. When you want to overcome evil in your own circle, look to Jesus. He is the hero who saves us for all eternity.
