Hero

I heard Maria Carey’s ‘Hero’ yesterday. It’s a good song to take into the New Year.

There’s a hero
If you look inside your heart
You don’t have to be afraid
Of what you are
There’s an answer
If you reach into your soul
And the sorrow that you know
Will melt away…

The beginning of a New Year is a time for plans and resolutions. ‘Hero’ brings a message of optimism and hope – that it’s good to have dreams, that there are good times ahead, that even when life is difficult we can be strong and resilient.

It’s a long road
When you face the world alone
No one reaches out a hand
For you to hold
You can find love
If you search within yourself
And the emptiness you felt
Will disappear

I hear ‘Hero’ as a Christian. I reflect on the great heroes of the faith – Abraham, Joshua, Gideon, Daniel… Ruth, Hannah, Mary… all with lessons to teach me about facing the world alone, but with God’s help… unexpected heroes, unlikely heroes, unwilling heroes, unassuming heroes… And all of the heroes of faith that followed…

English Baptist missionary William Carey (1761–1834)  famously said, ‘Expect great things from God; attempt great things for God.’ Have an active faith. Be a hero.

Lord knows
Dreams are hard to follow
But don’t let anyone
Tear them away
Hold on, There will be tomorrow
In time, You’ll find the way

And me? I don’t want to be a hero. I’m retired and happy to take things easy. A month ago, in advent, we were reminded about Elizabeth and Zechariah – called to be older heroes; last Sunday we thought about Simeon and Anna – more unexpected, unlikely, unassuming, elderly heroes in the Christmas narrative. God’s call to be a hero isn’t about age or apparent potential. It is about discovering the hero that I’m called to be, that’s inside me, waiting to be released.

And then a hero comes along
With the strength to carry on
And you cast your fears aside
And you know you can survive
So when you feel like hope is gone
Look inside you and be strong
And you’ll finally see the truth
That a hero lies in you.

I return to Jesus, the ultimate hero. He comes as a helpless baby, grows to be a suffering servant, a sacrificial lamb. He’s not a standard hero, but He’s my model, showing me how to be a hero, my motivation, inspiring me to be a hero. By his Spirit He enables me, gives me His strength,  to be that 2026 hero that He’s called me to be.