Everyday Heroes

We are writing this from LittWorld 2018 in Singapore. As some of you know, Media Associates International is allowing us to serve with them during this global training event. With delegates from 52+ countries around the world, LittWorld is a treasure trove of Christian communicators coming together for training, encouragement and prayer. When it comes to getting time with people from other parts of the world apart from the specific assignments from MAI, the challenge from the viewpoint of a couple of story-tellers like us is where to start.

This time, news events and our hearts for persecuted people converged. We got to meet with many people from “closed” countries. In fact, the red or green color on our nametags identified whether it was safe to photograph and post on social media.

There were moments when most all of us stopped what we were doing to pray for Pakistan with the news that Asia Bibi was released from prison and riots and protests were breaking out. The people from Pakistan were concerned, eager to get back, to be with their families and stand with their churches.

In smaller groups, and one on one, stories of faith emerged from people who different parts of the world where being a Christian costs something more than it does in Wheaton. We could describe these men and women as courageous and noble people, heroic, like superheroes of the faith, who serve God at all costs no matter what.

But the thing is, that’s not exactly the way they are.

They are humble, ordinary people. They have jobs. They serve in their churches. Some of them embraced communications and media to help their churches or Sunday schools or their fellow believers navigate relationships. They are doing the best with what they have and helping point people to Jesus in diverse circumstances. Some have grieved the loss of loved ones. Some struggle with the health of elderly parents or grandparents. Others face doubts and questions about their lives. They may struggle to make ends meet. Even those who are taking risks are often doing so unnoticed by most of the people around them.

Heroism comes in small ways while we are living our lives. A lot of times that means just taking the next step or speaking grace-filled words into a tense situation or closing the door and praying to the One who sees, hears and answers.

Peter—a LittWorld friend for several years now—said that people often ask him how he could live in such a difficult place for Christ followers. Peter’s reply is that greater is he who is in us than the one who is causing all the chaos and destruction.

Personally, we do think our brothers and sisters like Peter and others we can’t name are heroes (and we can hear them all protesting that no, they’re not), but we also know heroic brothers and sisters at church, who look at chaos or tragedy or loss and declare that greater is he who is in us than he who is in the world.

This is something we can all do in our own ways today.