Like most Americans I am still in shock over the bombings of the Boston Marathon. Acts of evil, leaving paths of devastation can be difficult to comprehend. I find that I do some of my best thinking while in the process of writing. This morning I gave a lot of thought to what it means to be a hero. After posting those thoughts to my personal blog, I realized the thought process had not been complete.

I found myself fixed on those people who run toward the screams and chaos, while everyone else is running away. What gives them the inner strength to put their lives in danger while helping others to safety? Whether we are talking about first responders who have trained for this type of event or the average individual who finds himself in a situation that calls for true heroism, it takes the right kind of person to run toward the danger when everyone else is running away.

I initially concluded that I had never been tested in that way. I have never had to be the hero. Would I freeze with fright or run in fear? Have you ever found yourself to be a hero when one was desperately needed? Have you ever wondered how you would respond? Do you have what it takes to be a hero?

While my focus had been on the physical heroes of the day, I found my thoughts shifting to the spiritual heroes of the future.

Those who have been given the Holy Spirit are tested daily. We come face to face with evil throughout our daily lives and have to stand against it. We are lights in a world of darkness, showing the way to peace and safety through Jesus Christ. As King of Kings and Lord of Lords, His return will put the saints in a position of being first responders, saving a world from evil, death, and devastation.

We are first responders in training. Some of our training takes place on the job. We have to know what evil looks like, what its source is, what it can do to people, and the way of life that can stop it. We have to be willing to stand against it, wherever it may be.

You may not see yourself as a hero. The world may not recognize you as a hero. However, when the time is right and your training is complete, you too will run toward the screams and chaos. You will become part of the greatest heroic army in all of human history. You will offer hope where all hope has been lost, as you fight at the side of the King of Kings.

As heroes in training we have a lot to learn. As we study the handbook, our Bible, we will learn what is expected out of us as spiritual heroes. Attending required classes, such as Sabbath and Holy Day services will give us encouragement and strength as we learn from others. Heroes have one thing in common. A hero knows when they are needed and they are willing to do whatever it takes to fill the need. Never forget that you are needed, you have a role to play in future events as a hero to millions of other people. You are a first responder in training!