Doing The Right Thing

I Don’t Need Heroes
Blogger Bong V.
Filipino Voices

I don’t need heroes (not dead ones anyway), I just need persons who will do the right thing.

I don’t ask for people to die, I ask people to live and reach out.

I don’t ask a taxi driver to give up his life, I ask him to be fair with the taxi meter and observe road courtesy.

I don’t ask the cop to become a vigilante for justice, I ask him to enforce the law fair and square.

I don’t ask the fish vendor to come out to the streets and forego income, all I ask for is an accurate weighing scale and truly fresh fish (not the dynamited ones).

I don’t need a soldier to wage a coup, I ask him to defend the people when his commanders issue unlawful commands that bring harm to unarmed civilians.

I don’t need a jeepney driver to wage transport strikes, I ask him to follow traffic rules, be fair with the fare (pun intended).

I don’t need the tax collector to wage civil disobedience, I ask him to collect what is right and not be tempted by bribes.

I don’t ask firebrand militants to risk even a hair on their head, all I ask for is more civic volunteers who can help empower and inculcate the entrepreneurial spirit in the grassroots.

I don’t ask a lawyer to go to jail for his beliefs, all I ask is for him not to sell out his indigent clients.

I don’t need politicians who promise the sun, moon, and stars, all I ask for is a politician who listens and acts on the consensus of his constituency.

I don’t need teachers dying while they protect the ballot, all I ask is that beyond the three R’s, they teach our future citizens what honesty means, what integrity means, what fairness means, what “the greater good” means. To nurture the souls of the Filipinos of the future so that the Filipino nation may once again stand tall, true, and proud.

I don’t need the electorate to head out in the streets to protest elections, all I ask for is they listen to their conscience and vote for the the candidate who they think will best bring opportunities for prosperity and integrity to us all.

I have no need to be a hero, all I want to do is do the right thing every day in every way.

But, I realize, some people need heroes if only to serve as a symbol of what is right, of what is true, of what is beautiful.

If there comes a time when heroes are truly needed, remember this, the hero lies in YOU, I, and US – when the situation arises – take stock, listen to your conscience, and do the right thing.

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Every person is called by the Lord to be a hero in his/her own place of calling. And for this reason we are created unique from each other because each of us has a unique task to accomplish.

Doing the right thing no matter how small it may be is accomplishing our calling one task at a time. Accomplishing our calling is doing service to God and people.

Strengthening Your Wings

By Adrian Rogers

“How that in a great trial of affliction, the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality.” (2 Corinthians 8:2)

A man watched a butterfly trying to emerge from a cocoon. Thinking that he would help, the man took his penknife and slit the side of the cocoon, and the butterfly flopped out. It lay there for a while, feebly beating its wings, then collapsed and died.

“How tragic,” you say, and you are right, because God had a plan for that butterfly. The struggle to break free built the strength he would need to fly. God doesn’t want you to live weakly and to die feebly. He wants you to grow and mature.

Find the wings in your trial today.

Standing Firm

By Rich McLawhorn
Food For Thought

You see it all the time. People achieve success, and then their personal lives seem to fall apart. As someone once said, success has made failures of many men. But does that have to happen?

The September 1996 issue of Standing Firm magazine contains a great story about Bobby Bowden. Bowden is head football coach for Florida State University. His team's
winning record places him near the top in wins among active coaches at the Division I level. Bowden's record of successes in bowl games is the highest winning percentage in NCAA history. So he is successful in his chosen career. Whether you are a fan of F.S.U. or not, you have to admit that Bowden is a successful coach.

But there is more to Bowden than the statistics you read in the sports pages. He is a man of faith, and makes no apologies for that. During his team's Friday evening meetings before their Saturday games, Bowden uses valuable time for team devotionals, which he leads. As for his ongoing leadership of the team's staff, each day he meets with his staff for devotions and prayer prior to their regular staff meetings.

Each year, Bowden takes his entire team to a predominantly black church for worship. The following Sunday, he takes the team to a predominantly white church. There is no deception involved--he writes a letter to each athlete's parents or guardian to tell them about the church visits and obtain their approval. "I'm trying to show these kids that they are accepted in church whether they are white or black," Bowden said.

So what is the point of this and the many other ways Bowden walks his walk of faith? Bowden says, "I want to show these kids that you can be a Christian, you can be a God-fearing man, you can abide by the rules, and you can still be successful."

How Does This Apply to Our Lives?

A number of social commentators have asked the questions, "Where are our heroes?" and "Where are the role models for today's youth?" That is because we constantly read about people who were considered heroes, but turned out to be villains who compromised their values and broke the rules. Is it necessary to compromise your values to make it in life? Bowden's story shows that it is not. No, Bowden is not perfect. But there is a core to his life. Bowden stands firm in his beliefs--and is successful. What is the difference between the Bobby Bowden's of the world, and others? Simply put, some people are like onions. They have no core, just layers. And when you peel away all the layers, nothing is left. Don't glorify the "onions" of the world. Instead, lift up people like Bowden--men and women with a core to their lives, who exhibit integrity and faith. Help them touch others. Encourage them. Pray for them. Finally, build and strengthen your own core. Start by placing your trust and confidence totally in God. Trusting in God does not guarantee you worldly success or great riches, but the Bible teaches that something far more important will result, blessings from God.

"Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him." (Job 17:9)