Heroic act
I just finished watching the movie called Flags Of Our Fathers directed by Clint Eastwood. Well it was not a Christian movie but rather it is a patriotic movie. A so-called what is the meaning of hero type of movie. I was not really aware what awaits me in the movie but I am touched by the movie itself.
Well it is a story of how a normal man or shall I say a soldier being called hero when the war ends. It talks bout this war between the American and Japanese located in Iwo Jima Island, Japan on 23rd February 1945. It was said that this war was the turning point for the Americans to go against war completely. If you want to know the story, go and watch the movie. I won't elaborate it at all but it was quite touching though. I am sure of it.
But few things I had learnt from the movie. First of all, the title "hero" are not manufactured but are earned. I came to this conclusion that a hero is someone who served others, who are friends to others, who helped their buddies and who care for them. Hero are not there to be served, who be there to lead and who be there neglect others for the sake of themselves. Anyone who called themselves hero but neglected their brothers and sisters, their fellow comrades, their fellow colleagues, their fellows family members, their God, their friends for the sake of the world or for the sake of themselves are no hero at all. They are just a bunch of cowards who self-proclaiming themselves as hero but making sure that whatever they acheived are being done.
There are sayings that a hero ought to be strong. Do you know that a hero can as well be weak? Why I say like that? How strong a person is, are determined by others, and not by himself. I mean a poor man can also become a hero to anotherr if he gave whatever he had to another poor person. That's a hero to me. But a rich man who gives a small portion of his wealth to a poor man, is that a heroic act? Well I guess not because a hero are usually those who humbled themselves up and not being boastful bout it while a rich man might give his small portion to another but he find ways to boast bout his richness. So if the rich man is considered as a hero, then the title "hero" is just another cheap title that everybody can have.
The title "hero" are supposed to be scarce because not everyone can become a hero. This is because a hero endures hardship, perhaps persecution before one can actually achieve this title. Why would I say that? Just like the movie Flag Of Our Fathers, the soldiers who faught for their country had to win the war before they are considered as a hero. In fact they need to endure pain, hardship and might even face their death there, during the war. If for some other reason, they do not completed their task as a soldier and ran back to their respective country, they will not be called hero. In fact, they would be most likely be called coward or even traitor.
Well as the movie continue on, the soldiers who came back after the war was over they did not dare to be recognised as heroes. Why, you may ask? Well like it or not, they had endured hardship and even faces death of their buddies, their comrades. And they all die for their country. Some of the soldiers, had actually giving up their lives for the safetiness of their fellow comrades so that the living soldiers can survived to tell out the story of how they had faught the battle. In fact back home of their respective country, the living soldiers are too ashamed to even share the story of how they had faught for the country. This is because during that time it was glory to actually serve the country and bring back victory. But in the end the living soldiers live in guilt.
Actually I guess we are all like that, like it or not. Well one thing is for certain. We are always ashamed of how to live like Jesus and how He had became our Hero through His sacrificial act and how His sacrificial act was not up to standard to us. A lot of time we thought we are the hero but we are actually not. But like it or not, God always give us chances to become a hero. He does it by showing how to be a real hero for His people. That as we accept Him as our Christ and Saviour, we are actually showing up His Heroic act. As He guide us, He is actually teaching us to be a hero for Him. I can say this loud loud, but deep down inside I am still ashamed of myself. But like it or not, God does not want me to be ashamed of Him and His act of love for us. What I believe He want is that we, as a child of God, He wants us to live up right for Him. That I believe is the righteousness way of being a hero. A hero after God's very own heart. That this hero not only serve mankind but he also seeks after God Himself. And I thank God no matter what happen, I am always there for Him. Be a godly hero and let Him lead us to be a righteous hero. God bless.. =)
PS: Go and watch the movie.. Quite a touching movie though..