Someone’s Hero

I told you last week about my dad falling from the top of the ramp of the van onto the concrete driveway, the scooter he was driving rolled on top of him, it weighs in excess of 190 pounds and is awkward to handle unless you are sitting on the seat driving it. When my daughter saw the situation she just reached down and grabbed that machine and lifted it off of my dad’s body and sat it upright, I was so stunned I didn’t even know what to think. It is times like that when we get an extra dose of adrenalin and are able to do things that would be impossible under normal circumstances. At that moment she was a hero! Not long ago I asked the question several times during the day on my Social Media status, “Are You Somebody’s Hero?” I had been thinking about how something that is simple for you to do, some kind deed or word of encouragement, maybe even loaning someone a few dollars that may be a minor for you, could be major to the person you did it for. I likened it once to coming into the room where our little teacup poodle P’nut is. He is so little that I keep him on a leash, it’s long and I have built him a doggie condo right there so he has the choice of two rooms to walk into. What does he do? With all the freedom he has, he chooses to go around and around the leg of the chair until he cannot move any further! He doesn’t seem to understand how to unwind himself, so he stands there, or lays down, unable to move! If he sees you he will begin to whine and look so pitiful, he is saying “Unwind me please”. It is easy for me to reach down and pick up the chair so that his leash is free and he can walk away, impossible for him to do it alone! At that point, I am his hero! There may be someone in your life that is wound around a “chair” of some type, tethered to their problems, not knowing how to get loose, or what to do, when you help them find a way out, you become their hero, it’s just that simple. I put my thoughts aside to go buy groceries. I made my purchases and pushed my cart toward my van. As I approached I saw that the car next to me had the hood up, there were cables, used for jumping the battery, hanging from that car’s open hood. A lady was pacing back and forth hoping someone would answer the number she was calling. As I went by I said, “Hello, you need a jump?” (Obvious question I know) “Oh yes,” he was eager to answer, then to his wife, “You can hang up, I have someone who wants to help!” Wow, I was that someone! His wife hurried around to where I was loading my larder into the side of the van and began to unload the groceries into the car. I got in and pulled the hood latch, he began hooking the cables to my battery, when he got it all connected I started my engine. The first time the lady turned the key over, it gave a little scratch but didn’t start, at that point I put my foot down on the gas and she tried again, SUCCESS! I waited for him to unhook his cables and slam the hood down before looking over my shoulder to begin backing out… as I did a little tap on my window made me stop and turn to see the man standing there. I rolled the window down, he stuck his hand out and said, “What is your name?” at that point I looked at him and saw what I had not seen until that very moment, my mouth fell open and I answered “My name is Harolene, but that is not important. I write a daily devotional and today my article was “Are you someone’s hero?” All day I have been asking people if they could be someone’s hero..” Before I could finish my sentence he said “You are my hero today.” This man’s black T-shirt had white lettering across the front; it said “I BELIEVE IN HEROES”. I could not believe my eyes and tears began to roll across my cheek. We smiled at each other, he turned around to show me the back of his shirt, it said “Wounded Warrior Project” Wow… there are no words to tell you how I felt. I came to the conclusion that to do a good deed does more good for the “doer” than for the “receiver”! Luke 6:38 “Don’t pick on people, jump on their failures, and criticize their faults— unless, of course, you want the same treatment. Don’t condemn those who are down; that hardness can boomerang. Be easy on people; you’ll find life a lot easier. Give away your life; you’ll find life given back, but not merely given back—given back with bonus and blessing. Giving, not getting, is the way. Generosity begets generosity.” It’s not always the things, or money you give, but pieces of yourself, that means the most. Jesus gave us His life; John 15:13 Greater love hath no man than this that a man lay down his life for his brother. Be someone’s hero today!