Weekly Thought – December 3, 2013
Fred considered those others chose as heroes to be strong indicators of their values. He believed in the power of having someone to admire and emulate. This excerpt from You and Your Network speaks to his thoughts on the role of heroes.
As the year end quickly approaches, everyone at BWF Project wants to thank you for your constant encouragement. A man in Florida wrote to say, “Thanks for the weekly emails. I really learn alot from them.” Another recently wrote to say, “These emails keep Fred alive and his wisdom applying to our lives.”
Your Heroes
We cannot live fully without heroes, for they are the stars to guide us upward. They are the peaks on our human mountains. Not only do they personify what we can be, if we diligently pursue our ideals in the furnace of our opportunities.
Heroes are those who have changed history for the better. They are not always the men and women of highest potential, but those who have exploited their potential in society’s behalf. Their deeds are done not for the honor, but for the duty. Through our study of heroes we enter the realities of greatness.
Heroes are the personification of our ideals, the embodiment of our highest values. A society writes its diary by naming its heroes. We are individuals do the same. When Socrates said, “Talk, young man, that I might know you.” He could have added, “Talk of your heroes, that I might know not only who you are, but who you will become.”
A discerning investor was having lunch with a young man who had recently been made CEO of a corporation. Early in the conversation he asked the young executive to talk of his heroes. The young man named a ruthless military genius, and an arrogant executive. From then on, the conversation took a cool turn, and ended much sooner than expected. Later, the investor said, “What a shame to turn over an organization to such immaturity.” Because of this impression, he sold his large stock holding, which proved to be a good decision.
Those who have no heroes have not yet identified their highest ideals. Greatness demands an appreciation of greatness shown in others. As a person changes his heroes, so he changes the direction of his life. The most unfortunate are those who egotistically become their very own heroes, which is as disastrous as becoming one’s own god.
This week think about: 1) Who was my childhood hero? 2) Who do I want to be “when I grow up?” 3) How have I changed my heroes?
Words of Wisdom: “Heroes are the personification of our ideals, the embodiment of our highest values.”
Wisdom from the Word: “The Lord emerges like a hero, like a warrior he inspires himself for battle; he shouts, yes, he yells, he shows his enemies his power.” (Isaiah 42:13 NET Bible)