Heroes Wanted: Why the World Needs You to Live Your Heart Out

—Lecrae

THE HEART OF A HERO

Whatever is at the center of our life will be the source of our security, guidance, wisdom, and power.

STEPHEN COVEY

The LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.

1 SAMUEL 16:7 ESV

Heroism doesn’t always happen in a burst of glory. Sometimes small triumphs and large hearts change the course of history.

MARY ROACH

The world needs heroes.

Do you believe the world needs you?

If you are comparing the image of a superior being soaring through the galaxy at Mach-speed to the one of yourself sitting at mock-speed on the couch, stop. Because the hero wanted, the hero you are created to become, is not like the iconic version most of us imagine.

The world needs real heroes. Those who, complete with their flaws and areas of weakness, are made to walk forward in the way prepared by God. I believe there are heroes all around us. I believe there is a hero in each of us. We may not yet realize how we can change a life, or two, or twenty, or twenty thousand, but the heart of heroism is inside of us, unexpected and maybe even unrequited. It awaits our awakening.

There are no mythological beings in spandex suits who are saving the day. There is the better alternative: people like you and me inspired by our God-given heart to contribute to the well-being of others through acts that can alter a path, ease a journey, protect a life, or perpetuate a dream.

THE SIMPLICITY OF EXTRAORDINARY

It’s fascinating to read about the psychology of heroism. I won’t delve deeply into that aspect; however, one insight I’ve encountered is extremely helpful for our pursuit. There is a distinction made by psychologist Frank Farley between big H heroism and small h heroism. Using this concept, Kendra Cherry explains:

Big H heroism involves significant risk, which could include death, injury, imprisonment, or other serious or significant consequences, [Farley] explains. Small h heroism, on the other hand, is everyday heroism, helping others, doing good deeds, showing kindness, etc., where serious harm or major consequences are not usually a result.¹

One of the infamous singsong Sesame Street inquiries is this: Big H, little h, what begins with h? For the transforming journey that we are embarking on, the answers are hero and heart. The hero’s heart is transformed and open and willing. So, whether we’re encountering big H or little h experiences, a true heroic moment begins in the heart. This belief gives us inspiration and motivation to learn from examples of everyday heroes in action and uncover ways we are made to be heroic. We can keep returning to the state of our heart to see how we are doing and to see what God is calling us to do.

But how do we embrace the role of hero?

START WITH A SMALL LEAP

If you’re like me, you want to do good in the world. You want to be the person God shaped you to become, but schedules and pressures have started to dictate your priorities. They may have even given you a false fatalistic perspective: I’m in the fast flow of life. How can I figure out what I need, let alone figure out how to meet the needs of others?

That’s an excellent question to ask. Take comfort in knowing you don’t have to see the big picture to begin this adventure. If you focus on getting to know yourself, how you’re designed, and what your natural abilities and gifts are, then the doorways to heroic service will open. Make an initial small leap by investing time to explore and consider the invitations being presented in daily life. By doing this, your heart, mind, and spirit will be prepared and emboldened for the heroic journey.

Together we will walk the way of the hero, and at each stop, we’ll glean strength and insight from stories. We’ll take moments to pause and notice how we are given countless opportunities to express our heroic heart through…

Calling

Commitment

Compassion

Connection

Conviction

Community

Courage

Charity

Confidence

You have far more to offer to others than you’ve ever dreamed possible. You aren’t powerless; you possess an immense wealth of love and strength to invest in others and in the fulfillment of your purpose. You aren’t stuck, unable, too late to the game, or any other version of a disclaimer your mind might be constructing as an obstacle.

You are made for this.

THE INTERCONNECTION OF OUR JOURNEYS

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said that all life is interrelated. We are all caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied into a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly.² I experienced the impact of this mutuality at an early age. My mother, an educator, and my father, a minister, were faithfully intent on ensuring I received a transformative academic education and also an education on the plight of everyday people. These two tracks have allowed me to travel the world from South America to Asia and back, and choose careers spanning government, law, and philanthropy. Over the years I have served as an officer in the US Air Force, as a federal prosecutor, a White House fellow at NASA, and later in corporate philanthropy with the Chick-fil-A Foundation.

While these varied experiences seem lives apart, they have revealed to me that interconnectedness Dr. King spoke of. I have met and been changed by those who live out their heroic purpose: the airmen, soldiers, and sailors dedicated to defending our nation; the brightest minds in law and law enforcement dedicated to defending our physical and financial well-being; scientists eager to learn more about this planet and others in pursuit of a better tomorrow; people of faith living out compassion in remarkable ways; and a corporation I am proud to serve because it is full of men and women genuinely motivated to be a positive influence on everyone they meet.

My experiences, my relationships, and my challenges have taught me that as iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another (Proverbs 27:17). When we go through this adventure of life together, we help one another become our most purposeful selves and, in turn, strengthen the powerful gift of our connectedness.

True heroism is remarkably sober, very undramatic. It is not the urge to surpass all others at whatever cost, but the urge to serve others at whatever cost.

ARTHUR ASHE

This journey that begins today will connect us to one another as we discover our personal strengths and callings and are inspired by others who walk the way of the hero. I will share stories of everyday people who have made and are making a difference. We’re going to look at a few stories of big H heroism, yet the main focus will be on the small h kind. When I refer to a hero, in most cases I have in mind Arthur Ashe’s definition that emphasizes service rather than spectacle. But make no mistake—when we respond to even the smallest Heroes Wanted cry from our families, neighbors, communities, or world, there is a seismic shift that takes place within us and within the atmosphere of our culture.

This is how change happens. This is how lives and hopes are renewed.

The aim of our journey together is to change the world—not by a movement, not by revolution, but by a radically small rethinking of who we are, our power, our need for relationship, and our ability to provide transformative support for one another.

As you awaken to and acknowledge the leadings within you to respond to the needs you encounter, may you be intentional, dream big dreams, and craft real plans. Whether you are called to be a hero to those who are three feet in front of you or to those who are thousands of miles away, let your hero’s heart lead, and then let your words and actions follow. The dreams and ideals are great, but without the effort of action and commitment to follow-through, they remain lofty and vague.

Coming alongside those who are living out their heroism inspires us to envision ourselves doing the same. We become aware of our personal qualifications that make us the perfect imperfect candidate to take action wherever and whenever heroes are wanted.

At the end of the book is your Way of a Hero Reflection and Action Guide. This invites you to deepen the journey with a group or on your own. This resource of refining questions and action steps will encourage you as you answer the call to be a hero in the way God is prompting you. He has designed you to rise above the typical and reach for the remarkable. The heart to do this is already inside of you.

1

CALLING

A Heart of Purpose

The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.

FREDERICK BUECHNER

We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

EPHESIANS 2:10 NASB

God breathes through us so completely…so gently we hardly feel it…yet, it is our everything.

JOHN COLTRANE

What do I need to do to save the world?"

One day, young Gregory Ellison asked his Aunt Dottie this question. Even as a child he perceived the weight of the difficulties experienced by his neighbors and community. He saw young men and women dropping out of school; he witnessed the devastation of homelessness and the random ravages of crime.

Her response was so simple and profound that it guided this boy’s hero heart toward purpose. That day, Aunt Dottie turned to her sensitive nephew and said, I don’t know how you can change the world. All I know is how to change what is three feet around me.

That compelling answer transformed into a calling.

Ellison earned a PhD from Princeton, became a professor at Emory University, and created the powerful grassroots initiative Fearless Dialogues. This unique organization creates safe spaces and invitations for individuals and groups from all walks of life to genuinely engage with others and view each person, each encounter as significant. One way this becomes real and influential is through the 3-Feet Challenge inspired by that heartfelt answer years before.

I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.

EPHESIANS 4:1-3

In just over 3 years, over 10,000 people around the globe have taken the 3-Feet Challenge. The premise is simple, for three days take a few minutes to SEE the gifts of three people who pass within three feet of you. HEAR their story as central to your own. Reflect on how this experience can CHANGE your life and the people around you. The 3-Feet Challenge is designed to move individuals and communities beyond the belief that social problems are too big to be changed by a committed few. Quite the opposite, in the words of Margaret Mead: Never doubt that a small group of committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.¹

To this day, that challenge, that calling passed from Aunt Dottie to her young, curious, and sensitive nephew, is having a huge impact on lives throughout the world. Consider what needs are within three feet of you this week. There is no need to look further for a way to make and be the difference.

WILL YOU ANSWER THE CALL?

The world needs heroes who believe they are meant for significance and influence. In every corner of our communities and around the world, people are desperate for someone to speak up and make a difference. The good news: There is no shortage of heroes. There is only a short supply of belief that we are each called to be a hero.

When a hurting person’s heroes wanted plea is spoken or unspoken, scribed in print or on their broken spirit, they rarely ask for a resumé and a list of references from the one who responds. If we listen beyond the clamor of our self-doubt, we will hear the call to be our courageous, authentic selves and be encouraged to show up for others.

We all have gifts and we all have a calling to use them for the betterment of others. While we have different backgrounds and goals, we are united by our experience of struggles, pain, joy, and dreams. We are not that different even though we choose to live our lives differently. In fact, what binds us is choice. God gave us choice, and our choices are reflected daily. We choose to smile or not. We choose whether to step outside of our comfort zones to connect with others. And, we choose whether we will be someone’s