By PASTOR DAVID ODOM
As we read all throughout the Bible, we read some great stories about some of the “Heroes of the Faith.” Hebrews Chapter 11 is often referred to as the Great “Faith Hall of Fame.” The Bible is full of many ordinary people who did some extraordinary things. This has many times been explained to me as the definition of a hero.
However, I challenge you that The Mighty God that we serve, doesn’t create ordinary people. The God that created the Heavens and the Earth doesn’t do anything ordinary. The “Heroes of the Faith” are extraordinary people who choose NOT to do ordinary things. I began to look back over the past 12 years at some of the “Heroes of the Faith” that God has put in my everyday life. Many people that God surrounded me helped me to where I am today. As the new Associate Pastor of Harmony Freewill Baptist Church, I am trying my best to be a “Hero of the Faith.” I’ve been told that when a hero looks in the mirror he doesn’t see a reflection of himself, but rather a reflection of all the heroes that brought him to this point in life. I have many “Heroes of the Faith” that have surrounded me on this journey and I am so thankful for those that took the time to disciple me, and to love me, and to be the Christian example that I needed.
We have some great “Heroes of the Faith” right here in our home town and in our local churches.
I remember as a young child, thinking about some of my heroes or superheroes that I looked up to. Whether it was sports heroes or superheroes on TV, watching them made me feel like I could conquer the world. I used to think there wasn’t anything in this world I couldn’t do if I put my mind to it. As a young boy playing Little League Baseball, I thought that I was going to play Major League Baseball when I got older. There was nothing or no one that was going to stop me. I had made up my mind that no matter the obstacles, I was going to overcome the odds. However, like most of us when we grow up, we somehow settle for less or settle for ordinary. Someone once told us that we’re not good enough and that we are ordinary. We then lost sight of superhero powers.
I think the local church has lost its superhero powers along this journey called life. I think Christians have forgotten the God that we serve. He not only does extraordinary things but He created us (you and me) to do extraordinary things. We have become tired and let the enemy tell us that Christians are ordinary. Once the enemy has convinced us of that then we go to an ordinary church and hear an ordinary preacher talk about an ordinary God. Then when we invite someone to church, they often come and leave with just a plain old ordinary church experience.
I just came back from a business conference at which the speaker was talking about the difference between ordinary businesses and extraordinary businesses. In the day and time that we live in now no one recognizes the ordinary. If a business is going to succeed in our world today it is going to have to be an extraordinary experience. The experience is going to have to be above and beyond the normal experience or no one will remember you or your business.
So I challenge all of the Christians in our community to not be an ordinary Christian but rather love people like Jesus did. No matter the background, no matter the social status, no matter if they have anything to offer you in return. Love with “NO STRINGS ATTACHED.”
To sum it all up, I believe with my whole heart, that if we remember the extraordinary God we serve, we as Christians will go above and beyond the normal. If the churches in this area team up together and go above and beyond to love those in our community, we will see A MIGHTY MOVE OF GOD! I challenge you to go and be someone’s “Hero of the Faith” today!!
(The Solution Column is provided by Pastor Brandon Young of Harmony Free Will Baptist Church and his associate pastor, David Odom.)