A hero is a person who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities. Willie and Waylon said their heroes had always been ‘cowboys.’ People who die on the battlefield in service for their country are rightly called ‘heroes.’ A role model is a person looked to by others as an example to be imitated. Some heroes are role models- others not so much. I remember sitting at a funeral of a Baptist pastor years ago and listening to someone sing, “The Wing Beneath My Wings,” and hearing the line- ” Did you ever know that you’re my hero-And everything I would like to be? I can fly higher than an eagle -For you are the wind beneath my wings.” Person after person talked about how great the pastor was(and he was a great man), but little was mentioned about how those filthy rags meant little to a holy and righteous God. A man I greatly admired leaned over and said: “I thought Christ was supposed to be our hero.” At another funeral where I gave the eulogy the keynote speaker was the president of a well known Bible College and instead of preaching the gospel, he paralleled the deceased attributes with those of a boy scout. This pastor was a man I knew well and he would have been disappointed the pure gospel was not presented to the 1,000 people in attendance. He always said, “Ernest, it ain’t about US,” but that was all his memorial service was about. Little mention of the person he had dedicated his life to preaching about.
U.S. Senator James Lankford, (R-OK) is an ordained Baptist preacher. He ran the largest youth camp in the world- Falls Creek. He has served in the U.S. House and is now in the Senate. Lankford is a conservative and has been a reliable supporter of President Trump. This weekend on FACE THE NATION, Lankford said: “I don’t think that President Trump as a person is a role model for a lot of different youth. That’s just me personally. I don’t like the way that he tweets, some of the things that he says, his word choices at times are not my word choices. He comes across with more New York City swagger than I do from the Midwest and definitely not the way that I’m raising my kids.” Immediately he was attacked by fellow Republicans because he didn’t ‘rubber stamp’ Trump’s behavior. For more of what Lankford said, go to https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/gop-sen-lankford-says-trump-isnt-a-role-model-i-dont-like-the-way-that-he-tweets
Three points and a poem:
First, Lankford is right about Trump not being a good role model for youth. While Trump is courageous and bold, he can be incendiary and unforgiving. Humility, lowliness, meekness, and mortification(all desired traits in scripture) are not his normal behavioral traits. No one should expect Lankford(or any other politician) to turn a blind eye to bad behavior. Stating it publicly or calling out a president in the same Party is probably not a good political move, but attacking a person for standing up for civility and their convictions is wrong.
Second, people don’t vote for a politician because they are heroes or role models. They vote for them for what the politician will do for them once they are elected. Elected officials are hirelings/employees/laborers. They work for the people they represent. Sadly most politicians shun serving and seek to be served. They have political ‘groupies’ who worship the politico as if they were a deity. Recognize a politician for what they are; a fallen sinner no better or worse than any other fallen sinner. Few politicians are heroes or role models because of the compromising nature of the business.
Third, the believer’s role model/hero must be Christ. Romans 8:29 says: “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.” Believers shouldn’t set up an athletic, a politician, a teacher, an entertainer or a preacher as a role model or hero. Their hero should be Christ. They should be seeking to transform their mind so they are conforming to the image of the Son(Romans 12:1-2).
So who are your heroes? Your role models? Are you teaching your kids to watch the life of Lebron James, Snoop Dog, Joel Osteen, or Donald Trump and emulate or mimic their actions? Are you trying to be more like Stephen Colbert, Lady Gaga, or Vanilla Ice? Or are you just teaching your kids and grandkids to follow their dreams and do what is right in their own eyes? The Bible says true believers will ‘conform to the image of the Son.’ EVERY BELIEVER! God may use different avenues, vocations, experiences, and relationships to achieve that conformity, but the goal will always be the same.
Alexander MacLaren (1826-1910) was a Scottish Baptist lay preacher. He was a contemporary of Charles Spurgeon, but not nearly as well-known. It was noted that MacLaren was one of the few preachers who spoke better than he wrote. His sermons were reported by stenographers and needed little correction. When MacLaren entered the study at 9am every morning to take up his sermon preparation, it is said that he would kick off his slippers and put on heavy outdoor work boots as a reminder to himself of the hard work he was about to do. It was this work ethic – coupled with his deep devotion to Christ and his Word – that brought MacLaren his reputation as “the prince of expositors.” For more on MacLaren, go to http://www.evangelical-library.org.uk/articles/Maclaren_Lecture.pdf. MacLaren wrote a poem titled WHEN I STAND AT THE JUDGMENT SEAT OF GOD.
When I stand at the judgment seat of Christ
And He shows me His plan for me;
The plan of my life as it might have been
Had He had His way, and I see
How I blocked Him here and I checked Him there
And I would not yield my will,
Shall I see grief in my Savior’s eyes;
Grief though He loves me still’
He’d have me rich, and I stand there poor,
Stripped of all but His grace,
While my memory runs like a hunted thing
Down the paths I can’t retrace.
Then my poor broken heart nigh will break
With tears that I cannot shed.
I’ll cover my face with my empty hands
And bow my uncrowned head.
Lord of the years that are left to me
I yield them to Thy hand.
Take me, make me, mold me
To the pattern Thou hast planned.
Ernest Lee Contendin 