Thanking a hero

We are thanking the men and women of the military for being our heroes today and I was reminded of something. I had been in the grocery store and was heading toward my van, as I approached it I saw that the car next to me had the hood up, there was a man standing there hooking up the cables to jump the battery but there was no car close to which he could hook them. There was a lady pacing back and forth hoping someone would answer the number she was calling. As I walked 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!” His wife hurried around to where I was loading my groceries into the side of the van and began to help me unload them. I got into the van 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 down the window, 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 “Harolene, I write a daily devotional and today my article was “Are you someone’s hero?” and 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.” What had surprised me was that 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!