"Brave And Heroic"

I remember when, what feels like a 100 years ago, I was filling out my application to attend Bible College and it came to a part where there was an essay question. To be honest I don't really remember what the exact question was. It must have been something along the lines of, "Why do you want to attend Bible College?"  I remember my response, and it may sound ridiculous to you, but my response was, "Zorro." My explanation was all about how as a child I loved Zorro. He was my hero. I loved how He stood up for the downtrodden against injustice in impossible times. He always prevailed against evil because he was skilled with his sword. I remember using sticks and sword playing with my brothers and sisters in the backyard pretending to be Zorro. I explained that now that I was grown up and saved I had a new hero, and that it was my desire to be trained and to become skilled with a different kind of sword, ... the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. Ephesians 6:17  So anyways, I was accepted and here I am 26 years later about to use Zorro to once again illustrate what is in my heart.

I say all that not to even focus on any of that, but to give you a little background for the message I would like to share with you today.  For that part of my life Zorro was my hero. Not Batman, not Superman, not Spiderman, etc. who all, like Zorro, battled evil, stood for good, and defended those that needed help. So why Zorro? We'll come back to the answer to that question in a just a bit.

I was reading in Daniel and asking Him what I should share today when He pulled out this verse. "I have heard of you, that the Spirit of God is in you, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom are found in you." Daniel 5:14 As you read the book of Daniel you see these words or words similar to them in numerous places to describe Daniel. His reputation was one of 'having an excellent spirit.' Read the book and you'll see it all throughout, but nowhere do you get the feeling that Daniel was full of himself or that he thought any more highly of himself, even though three different kings saw it and promoted him to positions of power. You don't get the impression that Daniel thought that he was anything more that your average guy doing his best to faithfully serve his God.Throughout the book you don't see a man that is using his positions of authority to lord it over anyone instead you see his humble attitude in all his encounters. Throughout his life others saw in him 'a greatness' that he didn't really see in himself.

So, as I was contemplating this verse in Daniel He reminded me about "Zorro."  See, those early years when I picked Zorro as my hero it was because I could relate to him.  Zorro wore a mask in order to be effective in his fight for justice and the people close to him, his family didn't even know that he was Zorro. By all outward outward appearances they thought he was weak and a coward, when in reality there was this other part of him that was brave and heroic. As a child I wanted to be that. Brave and heroic. Someone who would stand for what was right and good. I was quiet and shy, a tomboy, from a family without a lot of money, in a small town. Nothing special. Your basic insignificant nobody from nowhere special.

When I was nineteen, shortly after Jesus became my one true hero a new youth pastor came to our church. For some reason, after talking to me a couple of times he and his wife asked me to 'help' them with the youth ministry. Remember even as a child I had this secret desire to 'make a difference' so I agreed even though I didn't know how much, if any, help I would be. A few years later when I was running the Jr high program as well as helping with the high school he told me He was glad that he had asked me instead of listening to the advice of others. He told me that a number of people in the church had advised him not to ask me. They had told him I was, "too quiet, too shy, and I would never be able to do it."I asked him why he hadn't listened to them. His response was simple.  He said that when he had talked with me he "saw" potential in me and decided to risk it. He said, "That he saw something in me." Thank God for those that have "spiritual eyes' to see what the world cannot!

When I went to Bible college I took a course were I had to do my first student teaching. It was supposed to be only 2 - 5 min. Something short on a topic of our own choosing. I picked, 'Taking the Lord's Name In Vain.' Don't forget, really shy, quiet, took 0's in school rather then do oral reports. So I'm really scared, nervous, basically terrified to do my first teaching. I get up there, got it all out and ended with, "I'm done. I have to sit. I'm going to pass out." I grab the first chair I can get to and put my head between my legs hoping I don't faint. Meanwhile, silence. Not a sound anywhere in the room. In my head, you know, the one that is down between my knees I'm beating myself up for blowing it! I didn't even rate the polite clapping everyone else got. The instructor hadn't come up front yet. After everyone else she had come to the front added a couple of comments and introduced the next one. She hadn't moved. I picked my head up she came forward and the clapping began. She said I was getting an A and thanked me for the anointed message.

So the point of today's personal ramblings? After all it is so not like me to share such personal details, especially with perfect strangers, from all over the world. Is it to lift myself up? Definitely not! I just told you that my first attempt at using the "sword of the Spirit" ended with my head between my knees. I told you all this because I know, because I know, because I KNOW, that there is someone out there right now reading this that needs to hear... That God sees you. He knows the real you. The you that is down inside. He sees your gifts, and your calling. He has a hope and a future in store for you.He doesn't look at you the same way that the world does! Outward appearance isn't how He measures a man. He knows you. He loves you. He'll make a way for you. He will even help you to be brave and heroic despite your fears and weaknesses! I'm still an insignificant shy nobody, but I now also know I am brave and heroic when I surrender my fears and insecurities to be used for His glory.  Trust Him. He sees beyond your potential to the real, deep down you!

As a youth Daniel was first know as a 'captive from Judah'. After honoring God he was known for having 'light and understanding and excellent wisdom.'  Don't let the world's definition define who you are. Go after Gods!