Heroes Up Above

On September 11, 2001, over a small field in Pennsylvania, one of the most amazing acts of heroism was displayed as several passengers decided to defend our nation's Capitol against terrorists bent on crashing their plane into a US government target. Led by Todd Beamer, a husband and father of three, the passengers decided to storm the cockpit of the Boeing 757 in a fight for liberty and freedom in the sky. We've all heard the story--phone calls home to loved ones, flight attendants gathering items to be used as weapons against the terrorists, one final Lord's Prayer, a charge to "Let's Roll", and an army of brave souls storming a cabin. We watched as Americans we've never met, defended our nation and gave their lives for all of us. Isn't that a humbling thought? These brave people, ordinary people with lives much like our own, gave their lives for ME! ME?! And all of the soldiers out there who have fought in hundreds of cities and countries all over the world, did it for ME! ME?

Someone once said that there is no greater love than a man who would lay down his life for his friends, but what about a man who would lay down his life for strangers or even an enemy? How amazing? Where does this kind of love come from? It's impossible for me to believe that a human can love like that without divine intervention. Humans are capable of a lot, but we often need help with love.

How do you love the ones around you? Would you be willing to give your life to prove that love? Could you give your life for a family member? Most of us would answer, "yes." But could you give your life for a stranger or a friend? Most of us know that we need to grow in the area of loving others. My prayer for all of us tonight is that we would grow in that love. The only way to combat the terrorism and evil in our world is with that one lesson, taught to us by our hero up above.