Because I am a firefighter, September 11th 2001 and the months that followed were a very emotional time for me. All the media coverage of the disaster, the American public’s passion about those who died and the sudden renewed awareness about firefighters and their jobs kept things at the forefront of my mind and would not allow me to get on with other things for a time. Being a member of the fire service and responding to emergency scenes bring about a whole range of emotions that not everyone experiences, nor can they understand. I tend to ask “What if….. ?” a lot. As we race toward uncertainty, sometimes things get very “still” for me, which is strange because we have radios hollering, sirens blaring, air horns sounding and a confusing haze of red, flashing light on all the buildings and landscape that we pass. I find myself praying a lot on the way to fires. I pray for my family…I pray for the people we are rushing to help… but mostly I pray for my men. As I look into their faces with all this excitement in the background, I see their minds racing as they try to prepare themselves for what they might be facing. I see exhilaration, excitement, uncertainty. When we see a column of smoke or an orange glow in the sky from many blocks away, I see awe in their eyes, and anticipation of using skills they have trained hard for, though they all know they may be called upon to do something for which they are woefully unprepared for. I see questions, like “Am I up to this?” “Do I really know what I’m doing?” I see frustration and sometimes anger in their eyes as traffic will not yield and we all know, that for a victim, every second counts. I realize as I look into their eyes, these are the same men with whom I may have been angry and frustrated at just ten minutes before, for not doing their job as I would like or not following directions or some such thing. I realize that these are the same men with whom I have spent 1/3 of my life for the past twenty five years…….. and I love them. The brotherhood runs strong in our veins at times like these. Sometimes I look into their eyes and I see unbridled fear! And I pray. I pray because I realize that these men, whom I love, do not know the Lord Jesus. I know the reason this fear is in their eyes! The bible speaks of it!

FOR WHAT SHALL IT PROFIT A MAN, IF HE GAIN THE WHOLE WORLD, AND LOSE HIS OWN SOUL? Mark 8:36

What I am about to say is in no way meant to offend anyone, least of all a fellow firefighter. I speak as only a brother firefighter can, who still gets chills when I remember 911.

As the events of Sept.11th unfolded, we all heard a lot of talk about heroes. 344 firefighters raced up those stairs and all but one lost their lives in the process! Does what happened to those men, make them heroes? I say ….NO! And I believe that if you were to ask each of them, they would concur. If I were betting, I’m sure, if you looked in their eyes as they climbed those stairs, you would see that same excitement, uncertainty, awe, frustration, anger and probably that same unbridled fear I spoke about too. Those men were no different than you or I. Most of those men who died had no inkling they were to meet God that day. The really sad fact is that most of them will only see Jesus’ face as he proclaims.

AND THEN I WILL PROFESS UNTO THEM, I NEVER KNEW YOU: DEPART FROM ME, YE THAT WORK INIQUITY. Matthew 7:23

No, most were not heroes…… only brave fools. Fools who did not understand what the scripture above had to say to them. And so, I pray! I pray for my men! However, some of those men in New York were in fact Heroes! Why? How do I know? Because being a Hero has more to do with how we deal with the mundane, everyday events, than it does with how we deal with the big, dramatic moments! Because true heroism is having the courage to do your duty, no matter what the cost. Duty calls every day, in countless ways, and when a man chooses to do “the right” and is willing to pay the price no matter the cost… he is then playing the part of a Hero. He does his duty even when no one is there to see. He does his duty even when it hurts. He does his duty even when he doesn’t want to! Yes, some were heroes that day, but those men were heroes before they ever went to the fire station, before anything happened on Sept.11 2001!

There have been many men throughout the ages who can wear the title … “Hero”. I have heard stories of “Bible Heroes” all my life. But, I have to tell you, I know some real heroes right here at home. Men who do their duty, even when it hurts. Men who have never been praised by the media. Their wives look up to them and their children respect them. They handle the mundane moments with as much a sense of duty as they do the dramatic moments. These men search the scriptures to find God’s will for their families. These men know they are far from perfect but desire for God to reprove them, not for their own benefit, but that they might be an example to their children. Their names are known to few, but I know them, and many of you do too! These men are those who are obedient to God’s Word… willing to sacrifice themselves for their families and their God…men who are willing to answer the call to raise up godly children so that the Word of God might be passed on to the next generation, and the next, and the next… Yes, I know who you are! You are the men who desire to turn from this wicked culture, forsaking the peace and prosperity of the wicked in order to follow God. You have decided to do your duty…to your God…to your wife…to your children…no matter what the cost! Are you, brother, among these men?

FOR I HAVE KNOWN HIM, IN ORDER THAT HE MAY COMMAND HIS CHILDREN AND HIS HOUSEHOLD AFTER HIM, THAT THEY KEEP THE WAY OF THE LORD. Genesis 18:19a

God knows you too! He has known you in order that you might command your children and your household after God, that you keep the way of the Lord! God is not through with you!

BEING CONFIDENT OF THIS VERY THING, THAT HE WHICH HATH BEGUN A GOOD WORK IN YOU WILL PERFORM IT UNTIL THE DAY OF JESUS CHRIST. Philippians 1:6

Being a firefighter is not easy at times, but usually it’s a whole lot easier than being a good husband and father. I’m learning new things all the time about God and his will for my family and I. Pray for me as I pray for you. And hang in there…..HERO!

Allen