I grew up loving superheroes.  Superman was my favorite.  I’m sure at one time I had a shirt with a big “S” on it and donned a red cape and pretended to fly and bulldoze through any obstacle or enemy that got in my way.  The thought of being able to fly and have super-human strength – these were enough to keep my imagination captivated as a child.

Over the last several years, one superhero movie after another has appeared in cinemas throughout the world.  With all of the special effects and incredible cinematography, the superheroes depicted in the movies match if not surpass my childhood fantasies about their superpowers.  After all, my images of these superheroes came from comic books and cartoons.

As I have grown older, I still have heroes.  But my heroes today are not like the superheroes that I venerated and imitated as a child.  My modern day heroes can’t fly and they don’t have super-human physical strength.  But they are very, very strong and they have impacted my life to a far greater level than any imaginary superhero ever could.

One of my heroes passed away last night.  His name was Ed McGaughy.  I think of him as a gentle giant.  No, he wasn’t like Paul Bunyan, but he stood tall at about 6’ 5’’.  But he was a giant and a hero to me (and many others), not because of his tall stature, but because of who he was.  Ed had a huge heart with which he loved deeply.  I believe he loved the Lord with all of his heart, soul, mind, and strength.  He loved his family deeply and displayed that love in a powerful, profound way.  He loved people and was a true friend to all who wanted one.

It wasn’t Ed’s physical strength that made him a hero to me; it was the strength of his character, his faith, his fortitude, and his love.  Four and a half years ago, Ed suffered a stroke that left his right side mostly paralyzed.  A few days after he suffered the stroke, he had to undergo open heart surgery.  By the grace of God and with the help of some superb doctors and a very supportive family – especially his loving wife, Cathy – Ed worked through these physical challenges in an inspiring way.  Although he walked with a limp relying on a cane and didn’t have use of his right arm, he kept trusting in God and serving Him faithfully.  He kept on loving the Lord, his family, his church family, and his friends.  He showed us what it means to be faithful even when life gets difficult.  He was and is one of my heroes.

My heroes follow Jesus even when life gets difficult.  By their faithful example, they beckon me to follow them as they follow(ed) Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1).  People like Ed are my heroes because they help me to see Jesus more clearly and to understand more about how to serve Him faithfully.  My prayer is that their example will inspire you to follow Jesus, too.