Heroic Spirits

Then he had another dream … “Listen,” he said, “I had another dream, and this time the sun and moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me.”  —Genesis 37:9

Often I feel like a superhero. Not that I wear a cape or can leap tall buildings, but I am called upon to appear and take out of the ordinary actions. A shut-in or a person with a terminal illness is taken to the hospital, and I make an immediate visit. I comfort, read scripture, anoint with oil and pray. Then I jump back into my car and rush off to the next emergency. On each occasion, some dedicated person: a child, a parent, or a spouse, has been giving faithful care day in day out.

Doctors, nurses, and pastors are often treated with the awe of superheroes. When the emergency comes, we call the specialist or expert—the superhero. We have become a culture looking to the superlative, the extreme, the biggest and greatest. At times, God gives us dreams, visions, and mountaintop experiences, but we are always called to walk in the routine, sometimes drudgery, with faithfulness.

Many Christians, influenced by our culture, (maybe it’s simply the human flaw) approach spiritual disciplines in the same way. Instead of practicing regular, continual prayers, we wait until a crisis comes and cry out with urgency. Rather than making Bible reading and worship a regular and faithful means to draw near to God, we crave ecstatic worship experiences with just the right music and that special preacher. We long for mountaintop experiences, but human beings are really made for walking faithfully in the valleys.

When it comes to giving, we still think heroically. I frequently hear persons say, “If I win the lottery, I’ll pay for a new youth center or I’ll fund this or that new outreach ministry.”  Or “When my ship comes in, I’ll do something great for the Lord.” No you won’t! Jesus said, “If we are faithful in little, we will be faithful in much.” Faithful stewardship as well as every other spiritual discipline works best when practiced with consistency, faithfulness, and dedication.

The truly great among us become heroic through faithful service. Philippians 2:7-8 teaches us that Jesus took on the nature of a servant, humbled himself, and became obedient to death. After this humble service, God exalted Jesus and gave Him a name above every name (2:9-11). Jesus became heroic by faithfully surrendering and serving.

Genesis chapter 37 describes the great aspirations and dreams of Joseph. He had a dream that he would become greater than his eleven brothers. He had a second dream that even his mother and father would bow. God’s vision for Joseph came to pass years later as his entire family came to Egypt to buy food from him during the famine. But the dream only became a reality after Joseph had spent 13 years learning faithfulness and obedience as a slave and a prisoner.

Dream big! Catch a glimpse of the future God has for you, your family, and your church family, but allow God to bring that vision to pass as you pray, serve, and give regularly and faithfully. The real Superman has already come, and he’s not you or me. Jesus is human nature in perfection. He desires to live in your heart and life. He can and will remake you after His image. Surrender your life to Him and walk faithfully and obediently into God’s perfect future for you.