Learning From Unlikely Heroes

Unlikely Heroes 

We see so many heartbreaking images coming out of the Ukraine and we know that among the devastation and suffering are also many examples of selfless courage from unlikely heroes. We will never know most of the stories but you can bet that they are there.

As I was reading the Bible the other day I bumped into a story of some other unlikely guys who became the heroes of their day and actually, who saved the lives of people who lived in their cities.

They were lepers and in order to protect the citizens of the city from this dreaded infectious and incurable disease they were banned to live outside the city away from everyone they knew and loved.

This particular city was under siege from an enemy army and starvation was threatening all of the population. 

These guys on the outskirts of the city make this observation:

“Why do we sit here until we die? If we go into the city, there is no food there and we will die. And if we sit here, we will die also. So now come, let us go over to the tents of the Syrians. ^{(the attacking army)} If they do not kill us, we will live. And if they kill us, we will die there.”

2 Kings 7:3-4

When they went to the enemy encampment they found that the soldiers had abandoned it.  It seems they had heard a noise that sounded like a great army and they had run for their lives. 

All their wealth and provisions were left behind.  These starving men ate all they wanted and took some back to where they were living rough.  But then, realized:

We are not doing right. This is a day of good news, but we are keeping quiet. We will be punished if we wait until morning. So now let us go and tell those of the king’s house.  2 Kings 7:9

They went and reported what they had found to the authorities who went and checked things out and found it to be just as these leper beggars had told them.  All of the city got to eat and be blessed because of the actions of these outcasts.

God, no matter how desperate our own situation seems to be at times, we know that You are watching over us and have a good plan for our lives. 

Help us today and every day, as John Wesley instructs us: to do all the good we can, in all the ways we can, to all the souls we can, in every place we can, at all the times we can, with all the zeal we can, as long as ever we can.