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Life At Its Best: Break through barriers, allow others to rise to their best

Jim Graff
  • By Jim Graff
  • Originally published November 30, 2012 at midnight, updated November 30, 2012 at midnight

How would you define a hero? Many of us would say it's someone who shows bravery and selflessness. Some may say it's a person who has worked their way to fame or success. Both definitions could be accurate. But, in Jesus' time, the word for "hero" was best described as "someone who breaks barriers and allows others to rise to their best."

Roger Bannister fits this definition well. He was a mile-runner in the 1954 Olympics, and his goal was to run the race in under four minutes. At that time, a record like that was unheard of. Most doctors said it was physically impossible, but Bannister was convinced he could do it.

As a medical student at Oxford, he discovered new, unusual training techniques and consistently practiced them. When race day rolled around, he was ready. He ran just like he practiced, and not only did he win first, but he also became the first man to run the mile in under four minutes. People were amazed.

What's even better is that it didn't stop with him. Within months of Bannister breaking the record, four other men around the world beat the four-minute mark. And since then, many more have done the same.

What changed? Why could so many people suddenly do what was before considered impossible? Because Bannister broke the barrier. He showed people it could be done, and through his success, he empowered others to reach victory.

That's the kind of hero God has called each of us to be. Romans 8:37 says, "Despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ." Regardless of what we're facing, Christ has already given us the victory. But it's our job to claim it. We must envision our future as what God says it can be and fight to make that vision a reality.

Being a hero isn't about having some incredible superhero-like skill. It's about breaking barriers both for you and for those to come. Never allow yourself to grow so weary of fighting that you become content with failing relationships, negative health reports or bleak financial statuses. Remember, God's power will always trump our problems.

Sure, it's easier to stop short, to allow others' attitudes, words and actions to limit us. But can you imagine if Bannister would have allowed that? Maybe the 4-minute mile record would still remain unbroken. What about Martin Luther King Jr.? Would we still be facing the same racial segregation, or worse? Or better yet, what about Jesus? What would eternity look like for us if he'd allowed others to hold him back from fulfilling God's plan?

Before you go on with your day, stop and think about a barrier you want to break in your life. Is it a record? An addiction? A generational issue? Now realize that that barrier has had power long enough. Begin to view your future according to God's promise. Then, make a decision to fight for that promise, no matter what. You've got a hero in you

Jim Graff is the Senior Pastor of Faith Family Church in Victoria. faithfamilyvictoria.com.