Bluff Island, on Lower Saranac Lake in New York’s Adirondack Park, has a cliff about 80 feet high overlooking the water. There is an easy trail to the top, and the view from there is worth the climb. On a summer weekend there are often many people at the top enjoying the view. Halfway up the cliff there is a ledge and a tree from which a rope hangs. Usually there are a few brave young people who swing out on a rope and then drop into the deep water below. Once in a while someone will even dive from the top of the cliff, but it takes lots of courage to do that. One boy we know stood for over half an hour at the top, trying to get courage enough to dive off. Finally, off he went, and it was over in just a few seconds... safely, I am thankful to say.
Many years ago a local resident who had gone off the top of the cliff many times, agreed to jump off on a horse as a stunt. It was to be recorded on film. He was a little nervous about going off on a horse, but he was to be paid well, and money was scarce then. At last he thought everything was ready. He made a perfect dive, in spite of his fears, only to learn that he had jumped too soon, and the cameras had not gotten the picture. So he had to do it all over again, which he did successfully.
About 15 years ago I was in the city of Agra, India to see the Taj Mahal which is nearby. I saw a crowd gathering, watching someone high on a wall. The crowd gasped as the man dove from that wall over a hundred feet into a deep well. When he came out of the well, he went around in the crowd collecting coins. I was almost the last person he came to, so I asked him how much he had collected. He opened both hands and showed me 14 rupees—perhaps a nice sum to him, but actually worth only about $2.25 in United States money at the time.
People do very daring things for different reasons—some for money, some for glory or fame, and some for the challenge and thrill. But the money takes wings, the fame fades away, and the thrill is only for a few moments.
The Bible tells about some people who did many brave things, not for money or fame or thrills, but because they believed God and were faithful to Him and to His Word. Think about Gideon who went out against Midian’s large army with only 300 men. How about Jael, the wife of Heber, who slew the feared Sisera with a hammer and a tent nail. And David killed a lion and a bear which were after his father’s sheep, and slew the giant Goliath who defied the armies of the living God. Then there were Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego who were willing to be cast into the burning, fiery furnace rather than worship the king’s golden image. And we can’t forget Daniel who went on praying three times a day, even though the penalty was to be thrown into the lions’ den.
Boys and girls, these are God’s heroes. Let us ask for His help that we might be like them. Men and women of faith “who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.” Hebrews 11:33,3433Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 34Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. (Hebrews 11:33‑34). Read the rest of these verses (35-40) and the first four verses of chapters 12. Yes, these are God’s heroes—this is His honor roll.
ML-01/29/1984