new heroes

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The genesis for today's post comes from a remark our pastor made during the service today about people and their testimonies.  I thought about this a lot tonight, for various reasons, and I wanted to talk about this.

You know my story.  I've shared it with you.  I will again.  Not because I'm proud of it.  It's because I'm not and I hope that by sharing with you from time to time, it'll keep someone from doing the selfish and stupid things I did.  You don't want my testimony.  Trust me.

I have new heroes.  Who are they, you might wonder?  Well, they're the average Joes of the world.  The guys who don't have testimonies of salvation from a life filled with sin.  They're the guys who married once, paid their bills, raised their kids, worked a job, served their God.  You probably know these guys.  They're getting harder to find, but they're out there.

These were the guys that were smart.  They accepted Christ early on in life and lived a simple life worth living.  They love their families.  They love and serve their God.  They're not afraid to talk about their faith; they're not afraid to live it and let it show, either.  I used to be among the multitudes that made snide comments about these kinds of men.  They were somehow made out to be contemptible because they weren't "one of the guys".  In hindsight, after many years, I think I figured out that by and large, these guys were the smart ones.

I know all too well too, the self-righteous men who think they're above reproach from their peers and that because they live a pious life, they're somehow better than others.  I've seen enough of these men and I'm not judging nor belittling these folks, either.  I'm only commenting that I'm aware they exist and they're not my heroes.

Sadly there are fewer and fewer of the average Joes I'm talking about these days. But I admire and respect these men more than they will ever know and for guys like me, they're wonderful role-models and I thank God for them.

And ladies, if you're married to one of these guys, you're blessed beyond measure!

Comments

  1. ephesians619January 9, 2012 at 6:05 AM

    sometimes I have to re-share too, not in the hopes that it will keep someone else from making the same mistakes that I have made, but in the hope that it will keep ME from making the same mistake AGAIN.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Dale CooperJanuary 9, 2012 at 11:30 AM

    Amen, Pastor Karl. By God's grace, I'll never EVER be the man I was again.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Tami JoJanuary 10, 2012 at 10:47 AM

    And for you single woman out there that read this...allow me through my experience to say Never lower or settle for anything less than the best! (The Godly man).
    For you married woman...hang on through the troublesome times. The grass is not always greener on the other side.
    I know this man personally, and am so proud of the man he has become today!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Dale CooperJanuary 10, 2012 at 3:00 PM

    Thanks for the compliment, Tami Jo, but I gotta say that who I am is a testimony of God's grace and the glory belongs to HIm and Him alone. Jesus' love and forgiveness took the burdens of the sins I'd committed; God's word showed me the Truth and how to live a better life. The Holy Spirit convicts me when I'm not being what I ought to be.

    I'm reminded as I read my Bible today, a passage from Psalm 119, which I'd like to share. It's verse71 (NIV) It was good to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees. Another favorite verse that plays into this is Psalm 119:102 which says: Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.

    I liked what you said about relationships, too and it's my hope that we all take that to heart.

    ReplyDelete

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