Heroes

I suppose every child has a hero or heroes that he looks up to and admires as he grows up. I’m sure I probably had several as I grew up but honestly I can only remember one. His name was Gary Barnes. Gary was the son of Horace and Ruth Barnes, close friends of my parents who are now in heaven with the Lord they dearly loved. Gary is a few years older than me. He played football and basketball at Valley High School in Valley, AL where we grew up.

During the summer of his high school days Gary worked at a textile mill that was a block away from his house. Many days I would meet Gary when he got off work and would carry his tennis shoes as I walked home with him. I didn’t think about it then but as I look back on it now I realize those shoes must have been nasty and probably didn’t smell all that well after working all day in that hot mill, but I didn’t noticed.

After graduating from high school Gary signed with Clemson University and spent his college years playing for the Tigers (wrong Tigers since I pull for Auburn). When he finished his playing days at Clemson Gary signed with the Green Bay Packers. This was during the Vince Lombardi days. Now my hero had made the BIG time. Gary was fortunate to play on one of the Packers’ championship teams. Needless to say, my hero was bigger than life to me!

I still have heroes today. One of my greatest heroes is my dad, Leonard “Boochie” Garnett (to be honest I don’t know where he got the nickname). Unfortunately, it wasn’t until I was in my late 20’s that I recognized how blessed I was to have the dad I have. As I finally began to grow up I began to realize how much my dad (and mom) had sacrificed to provide for my sister and I as we grew up.

However, it wasn’t the material things he provided that made him my hero. It’s his relationship and walk with the Lord Jesus Christ that I most admire about daddy. For as long as I can remember he has known Jesus as his personal Lord and Savior and has sought to live in a way that would always honor his Lord. Because of his relationship with Jesus and the life he has lived, my dad has been a very positive influence in my life ever since I was born. It’s just that it took almost 30 years for me to recognize that daddy is one of my greatest heroes. I thank God that daddy continues to encourage me and influence my life today! Thanks daddy for all you’ve been and continue to be to me!!! You are my hero!

I do have one hero who is an even greater hero to me than my dad and that is the Lord Jesus Christ, my personal Lord and Savior that my dad introduced me to as I grew up. It wasn’t until I was almost 27 years old that I committed my life to Jesus as my Lord and Savior. I was a member of a Baptist church at the time Jesus came into my life but before that night in March 1977 when I met the Lord Jesus all I was was a lost church member. But on March 9, 1977 I gave my life to Jesus and have sought to follow and serve Him ever since that day.

Jesus is a true hero because He gave His life not only for me but for the whole world. As Jesus Himself said, “For God so loved the world (that’s you and me) that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever (that’s you and me) believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). Just think, the Lord Jesus Christ, God the Son, left the glory of heaven and came into this world that He might die on a cross to pay the debt of our sin. Now that’s a hero in the truest sense of the word.

Everyday my hero, the Lord Jesus Christ, continues to prove His love for me. Although I have failed and disappointed him many times over the years, He has never failed or disappointed me! Not once! His promise is, “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5). That’s my hero the Lord Jesus Christ! He is always with me and especially when I need Him most. If you do not know Him as your personal Lord and Savior, I encourage you to talk with a Christian friend or a minister who can tell you how you can have a personal relationship with the One who gave His life that He might be your Savior and your biggest hero!