I can clearly remember the day when I first heard the news.
I was in my car on the way home from work when the announcement came over the radio. The newsreader was saying that the police in India wanted to question Hansie Cronjé in connection with illegal betting and match-fixing allegations. Now many people who are big sports fans,especially cricket fans, would know the name well. At that time Hansie was captain of the South African cricket team. Not only that, he had a wide reputation of being a decent and honest person. In fact, he was known to be a good Christian. I was in total shock and disbelief.
Impossible, it cant be true! You see, Hansie was one of my heroes. He was a hero to many people in South Africa, young and old. Many people in the country were very upset about these allegations, but sadly they were later proven to be true. When our heroes let us down, where does that leave us? How does it make you feel?
We all have heroes or people we look up to and admire. People whose lives we often try to emulate in some area or another. I am not talking about the scenario often seen, of thousands of fans screaming and going totally crazy in front of some or other live music band, or film star. That is more along the lines of idol worship.
Recently another big sporting name, a real hero to many, who disappointed and disillusioned millions of people, was the cyclist, Lance Armstrong. The details are not important here, except the fact that many felt let down. It doesnt matter in which discipline of life you have heroes, the reality is that at some time or other they will more than likely let you down.Think about it for a moment, even our biblical heroes let us down. The apostle Peter is a hero of mine and yet at times he lets me down, so to speak. There he is, full of energy and faith, jumping out of the boat and walking on water wow! Few things can inspire you like your hero walking on water. And then he goes and blows it.
However, there is a hero to millions of people who will never let you down. He is the only hero I have ever come across in whom no fault has ever been found. No newsreader ever came across my radio announcing allegations that were later proven to be true. He never needed to hold a press conference to say he was sorry for what he had done. His name is JESUS. He is the only hero who will never, ever let you down. He will never disappoint you.
We let others down too
A short while after Hansie Cronjé was exposed, he gave a press conference, in which he openly admitted that he had done wrong and that he was truly sorry. I admire him for doing that, because under those circumstances it took a lot of guts. But the fact still remains that he let me and thousands of others down. Lets bring it closer to home. At some stage in our lives and probably more often than not, those closest to us, our loved ones, hurt or disappoint us. In short, they let us down. Most of the time they do not do it on purpose, they are just human. The fact is even though we might not like to admit it we let others down too. Yet once again, although Jesus was fully human he was also fully God and for that reason he has never let us down, nor will he ever do so. Even his enemies could find no fault in him. When Jesus was wrongly arrested and brought to trial, Pontius Pilate could see that he was innocent and told his accusers he could find no basis for a charge (Luke 23:4). Furthermore, Jesus and only Jesus has the power to keep all of his promises. Only he will never leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5).
He is the greatest hero anyone can ever have. He and only he will never ever, ever let you down. I invite you to wear his name on your T-shirt, to put his poster up on your bedroom wall. Jesus Christ, The Hero of All Ages, invites you to have a relationship with him. Will you say, Yes! to his invitation?