Jesus, My Hero

“Mrs. K., isn’t it true that Jesus didn’t have to die, but he chose to die? So isn’t that like suicide, and isn’t suicide like a sin?”

The student’s question came out of nowhere when I was teaching high school English. We were in the media center working on research projects, and as I meandered about the room checking on their progress, I apparently interrupted some sort of religious debate between two students. I was caught completely off guard. First of all, the concept of Christ’s death as “a suicide” had never occurred to me. And second, this was public school; what could I say without getting in trouble?

Honestly, I was flustered. I didn’t handle the question as well as I could have, but when I thought about it, the answer was simple: When a soldier jumps on a live hand grenade to save the lives of his comrades, we don’t call him a suicide, we call him a hero. Jesus didn’t take his life; He gave his life so others could live. The fact is he didn’t have to do that; motivated by pure love for you and me, he chose to do that. Wow, Jesus, my hero.

This Sunday is Easter, and church attendance will increase dramatically. That’s fine. That’s lovely. But considering Jesus died for those of us who had not yet even been born and those who would never love Him as He loved them, and considering the magnitude of the burden He took upon Himself, why don’t we celebrate this greatest of all heroes all day, every day?

Just a thought.

Blessings,
~lisa