Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. - Philippians 4:9 (NIV)
From the time we begin to reason, we look toward heroes—characters that embody qualities we admire, like bravery, justice, and perseverance. As children, we may at first find those qualities in comic book characters, but as we grow older, we realize there are people with those traits around us. They may be emergency workers, those in the military, or someone closer to home—family and friends. It can be anyone who inspires us to become the best version of ourselves. Often, these heroes don’t see themselves as such—they walk humbly, not doing it for fame but because it is what is right.
In today’s verse, Paul, a hero of the faith, humbly asks the hearers of the letter to use whatever impression he may have made. What are some of the traits a hero of the faith demonstrates? In verse 8, Paul says, “Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”
Jesus Christ is our Superhero! Through His perfect life, we have an example of how to live, but He did something that only He could do: He saved us. Not only for the people in His time but for all people everywhere for all time who recognize Him as their Lord and Savior. As saved people, we are called, like Paul, to be heroes of the faith. We are to be examples of how to live righteously in a sinful world so others may remember us as disciples of Jesus Christ.
Heavenly Father, thank You for sending Your Son, Jesus Christ, to save us. Thank You for His example and all those saints who have followed as heroes of the faith. Help us do whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and admirable—living as witnesses to the generations that follow of what it means to be a hero for Christ in our present time. May all we do be for Your glory. We pray this in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Blessings,
Pastor Tim
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