Heroes

Remember being a little kid in Sabbath School, learning all the amazing Bible stories…

Noah built a boat, bigger than anyone had ever dreamed of. All the animals came on board, and his boat saved them from the flood.

David had practiced with his slingshot on bears and lions for long enough that he could hit a target pretty well. And when a giant came along wanting to fight David’s people, David took care of him with one zing of his sling.

Moses somehow kept a whole mass of unthankful people together and safe for forty years wandering in the desert.

The stories always have some lesson at the end: Be obedient like Noah. Be brave like David. Be a strong leader like Moses.

But what you don’t learn until you’re older is the rest of the stories: Later Noah ended up getting drunk. David killed a man and took his wife. Moses disobeyed God and lost his temper.

And these are the Bible heroes we’re supposed to be like?

Not so much.

You see, Noah, Moses, David, even Daniel and Paul aren’t the heroes of the story.

Jesus is.

Jesus is the one who never did make mistakes, who knew where to find His strength, who was always faithful, who chose to love and use these miserable human beings in the first place. And if you’re looking for it, the whole Bible is really about Him.

Now that’s a real hero.