Men,

Do you have a hero?

When I was growing up, my hero was baseball star Hank Aaron. That may be too far back in history for some of you younger guys, but in 1960, when I was in the second grade my dad took me to a Milwaukie Braves game. I got to be in the outfield bleachers and look out over the field to see Hammerin' Hank in person. It was one of the most exciting days of my life. I will always be grateful to my Dad for that day. In fact I still have the Braves jacket he bought be back then.

As I've grown older though, my heroes have changed. After being in the sports world for decades, I've learned athletes are mere men who happen to be more skilled in a certain sport than I am. In other words, the closer I got to their world, the less impressive it all was. Now my heroes are men who upon closer examination still look impressive. Flawless, no, but relentless in the pursuit of one thing, their faith in Jesus Christ. I think of my Dad and my mentors, Bob Wall and Lee Brase, men who make it their goal to aim for the same prize Paul did.

Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:12-14)

Certainly it would be great to excel in your area of skill, (I would have enjoyed hitting homers like Hank Aaron did), but beyond that, it's a much higher calling, a much grander goal to pursue Christ. The Lord is looking for men like you who will make it their goal to press on, fight on, battle on, carry on the banner of Christ. Scottish preacher Robert Murray McCheyne wrote this, "According to your holiness, so shall be your success...a holy man, is an awesome weapon in the hand of God."

The real heroes in this world are men who are striving for holiness. I pray you will be a hero to some man some day, not because of your skills, but because you set out to be an awesome weapon in God's hands. Onward Christian soldier.

Ron

See you in the Prayer Room on Sunday at 10:35 a.m.

Also Men, please set aside a couple of dates on your calendar. February 29, Guys night out at PGE Park for the OSU Beavers baseball game against Georgia at 6:00 p.m. March 22-Men's Breakfast at church 7:00 a.m., and April 4-6 our men's retreat at Wild Horse Canyon.