Anti-heroes and Clay Feet

DAILY BYTE

Yesterday, we questioned why the author of Hebrews 11 held up certain Old Testament characters as ‘heroes’ of the faith, when they so obviously had clay feet and vital character flaws.

Well, perhaps it is because these are stories not just about heroes of the faith, but also ‘anti-heroes’. Now don’t get me wrong, I don’t mean ‘anti’ in the sense of anti-Christ or even opposite to. Instead, I mean ‘anti’ in the sense that we are meant to learn from their flaws, mistakes and failures AS MUCH as we are meant to learn from the undoubted good of their lives.

Ancient Hebrew Scripture is unique compared to other religious literature (of its day and age), because it unashamedly announced the flaws of its heroes without comment or excuse. This is because Hebrew Scripture was most concerned with proclaiming the goodness, grace and power of God AND NOT of people.

This thought could be summed up by saying that Hebrew Scripture was mainly concerned with proclaiming two important truths; firstly that there IS a God, and secondly, it’s NOT you.

Get it? There is a God ... but it’s not you.

It is clearly and gracefully evident that God’s loving purpose and plan is worked out into human history not because the people mentioned by name in Hebrews 11 were great, but rather because God is great.

Faith, as the Bible proclaims its, cannot begin without this vital recognition. For actually, we can and do have faith in many different things indeed, but as Father Richard Rohr reminds us: “True wisdom is knowing WHOM to worship.”

The Good News the Bible so joyfully offers us is actually very good news for all, because we learn that it is not about us and our ability to pull it off. No, it is God and God alone who can save us.

This means our very worst personality traits, our various weaknesses and failures, need not be insurmountable obstacles to faithfully following God. By using these flawed anti-heroes with obvious clay feet as examples the Bible is reminding us that if God can work through and redeem even these guys, then no matter how broken you may be, no matter how utterly ordinary and uninspiring you may feel you are, then know that God can also use you in a wonderful way.

Now that sounds like Good News!

PRAY AS YOU GO

God of grace, just as you have used broken and uninspiring people throughout human history to do wonderful things in your name, I pray that you would use me also to share the Good News of your endless grace, mercy and hope. Amen

FOCUS READING

Isaiah 43: 1-3a

But now thus says the LORD, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Saviour.' "