Years ago, I came across an inspiring book that was written by Thomas Carlyle and published in 1840. “On Heroes, Hero-Worship, and The Heroic in History” was created from the notes of six lectures Carlyle delivered outlining the heroic deeds of some notable people. The thesis of the book is that heroic leadership is a continuing need in our world.
That book got me thinking about my personal pantheon of heroes and about the inspiration I have derived from their lives. Some of the heroes in my personal pantheon are famous.
King Leonidas of Sparta. In 480 B.C., Leonidas led an army of about 7,000 from various city states to a narrow pass at Thermopylae to confront an army of over 200,000 led by King Xerxes of Persia. As the battle became hopeless, Leonidas sent the majority of his army back to protect the cities from the invading army. He and 300 Spartan warriors fought valiantly and held the pass as long as they could—they all died “standing in the breach.” On a monument at Thermopylae we read, “Go tell the Spartans, stranger passing by, that here obedient to their laws we lie.”
Mother Teresa of Calcutta. In 1946, she felt a call. “I was to leave the convent and help the poor while living among them. It was an order. To fail would have been to break the faith.” Thus began a life of service among the poor and outcast of society—feeding, clothing, and loving them. Her advice to all of us: “Never worry about numbers. Help one person at a time, and always start with the person nearest you.”
Which brings me to some heroes in my personal pantheon who are not famous.
My friend Anne (not real name) confided with me that in her morning prayers she asks, “Who can I serve today?” Because she lives in this manner, her service has touched many lives. She once told me that she heard of a homebound person with infectious hepatitis that needed some help with her personal hygiene. Nobody would get near her. Anne quietly thought to herself, “Someone ought to do something…I am someone.” She delivered the care that sick woman needed. Anne is a follower of Jesus. In the New Testament it says of Jesus, “He went about doing good.”
I have always loved this quote by William Arthur Ward: “Blessed is the person who sees the need, recognizes the responsibility, and actively becomes the answer.”
My own mother holds a special place in my pantheon of heroes. She had dreams of returning to school and becoming a nurse once her children were along in school. Life had another plan for her. My youngest sister developed serious and chronic health problems requiring my mother to spend much of her life taking care of her. Yet, my mother still managed to take me to music lessons and attend my concerts and sporting events—and she did the same for my siblings. It has been said that a mother’s love for her child is the purest earthly example of God’s love. I believe that.
These heroes—and many more—continue to inspire my life. Who are your heroes? How do they inspire you?
Years ago, I came across an inspiring book that was written by Thomas Carlyle and published in 1840. “On Heroes, Hero-Worship, and The Heroic in History” was created from the notes of six lectures Carlyle delivered outlining the heroic deeds of some notable people. The thesis of the book is that heroic leadership is a continuing need in our world.
That book got me thinking about my personal pantheon of heroes and about the inspiration I have derived from their lives. Some of the heroes in my personal pantheon are famous.
King Leonidas of Sparta. In 480 B.C., Leonidas led an army of about 7,000 from various city states to a narrow pass at Thermopylae to confront an army of over 200,000 led by King Xerxes of Persia. As the battle became hopeless, Leonidas sent the majority of his army back to protect the cities from the invading army. He and 300 Spartan warriors fought valiantly and held the pass as long as they could—they all died “standing in the breach.” On a monument at Thermopylae we read, “Go tell the Spartans, stranger passing by, that here obedient to their laws we lie.”
Mother Teresa of Calcutta. In 1946, she felt a call. “I was to leave the convent and help the poor while living among them. It was an order. To fail would have been to break the faith.” Thus began a life of service among the poor and outcast of society—feeding, clothing, and loving them. Her advice to all of us: “Never worry about numbers. Help one person at a time, and always start with the person nearest you.”
Which brings me to some heroes in my personal pantheon who are not famous.
My friend Anne (not real name) confided with me that in her morning prayers she asks, “Who can I serve today?” Because she lives in this manner, her service has touched many lives. She once told me that she heard of a homebound person with infectious hepatitis that needed some help with her personal hygiene. Nobody would get near her. Anne quietly thought to herself, “Someone ought to do something…I am someone.” She delivered the care that sick woman needed. Anne is a follower of Jesus. In the New Testament it says of Jesus, “He went about doing good.”
I have always loved this quote by William Arthur Ward: “Blessed is the person who sees the need, recognizes the responsibility, and actively becomes the answer.”
My own mother holds a special place in my pantheon of heroes. She had dreams of returning to school and becoming a nurse once her children were along in school. Life had another plan for her. My youngest sister developed serious and chronic health problems requiring my mother to spend much of her life taking care of her. Yet, my mother still managed to take me to music lessons and attend my concerts and sporting events—and she did the same for my siblings. It has been said that a mother’s love for her child is the purest earthly example of God’s love. I believe that.
These heroes—and many more—continue to inspire my life. Who are your heroes? How do they inspire you?