In these days of 24/7 newscasts, Tweets, posts, and countless magazines, our culture often gives honor to individuals using a limited criteria for measurement.  For instance, number of Gold Records, box office successes, or accomplishments in the sports arena garner applauds and accolades from a vast number of followers.  Tabloids and talk shows scramble to get the latest scoop about the biggest celebrities.  All of this attention may lead some, particularly our youth, to equate these accomplishments and the resulting attention to being a hero, someone to look up to and imitate.  Yet, while there are of course exceptions, clearly being in today's limelight in no way guarantees a lifestyle that should be emulated.  In fact, time after time, we've seen the iconic greats fall, and fall hard on temptations of lying, cheating, adultery, and a number of actions that God pointedly defines as sinful. 

So, who are our heroes?  Who are those people that are worthy of praise for the life they've lived?  Last week, I was privileged to walk the paths of Arlington Cemetery, final resting place of the bodies of many fallen soldiers.  These men and women gave their lives for their families, their countries, for us.  The countless rows of perfectly lined white markers are stark reminders of thousands of choices to stand for something that mattered and fight for freedom.   This takes courage, commitment, honor, and bravery beyond any that I can imagine.  Heroes?  Yes, and ones for which I am exceedingly grateful! 

But maybe there is more.  While I do not know the stories of the hundreds of soldiers whose names appear on the markers in this picture alone, I do know that they were human.  Moms, dads, brothers, sisters, sons and daughters as we all are.  Flesh and blood.  Some no doubt, lived their lives for the Lord; some probably not.  Yet, even so, none of them lived to perfection.  Only One has ever been able to live into an adult life sinless.  Perfect.  It was this One that gave a sacrifice that rises above all of those in the grave combined.  His sacrifice was clear to Him from the beginning.  He knew His task and He knew He would die.  That was never a question.  Yet He came.  Into the battleground of this world.  He came to fight the ultimate battle with Satan so that we could live free in Him. 

So where do we place Him?  Celebrity?  Maybe.  Many know His name if that is the definition.  How about hero?  Certainly, he took on a challenge selflessly for the sake of others.  But there's more.  He did for all of us what we could not do for ourselves individually nor collectively.  He conquered sin and opened the pathway to the Father.  No other person could ever do what He did.  He is our hero, perhaps, but more importantly, He is our Savior.

"For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.  Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation." Romans 5:6-11 (ESV)