What Makes a Hero?

Dear friends in Christ, next Sunday we recognize two heroes of the faith – the apostles Peter and Paul. The readings will be Psalm 46; Acts 15:1-12; Galatians 2:1-10; Matthew 16:13-19. What qualities make someone a hero in your eyes? Often times we are drawn to that person who appears to be flawless — in their appearance or in their performance. The Bible makes no attempt to hide the fact that both Peter and Paul were deeply flawed individuals who each had their moments of regret and shame. What makes them heroes of faith for us is not some airbrushed appearance of flawlessness, but the gritty reality of their redemption from sin and the transformative power of God’s grace in their lives. The double miracle is that God not only changed these men; He then used them to change the world.