Encouraging Our Children Toward a Life of Heroic Faith

“A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself.” ~Joseph Campbell

My oldest son went on a reading binge during Christmas break this year. In the course of a week, he traveled through time and space to fictional lands with heroes like the Igiby children in Andrew Peterson’s Wingfeather Saga, Meg Murry from A Wrinkle in Time, and the Pevensie siblings of The Chronicles of Narnia. My husband and I joked that he was taking breaks only to eat, and he reluctantly stopped then only because we forced him.

I fondly remember the reading binges of my youth. I laughed aloud at the antics of Ramona Quimby in my early elementary years. I stayed up late into the night to finish the Anne of Green Gables series. The annual releases of Harry Potter books carried book bingeing through my twenties. The heroes of literature taught me how to be brave and kind, to do the right thing when it was hard, and how to be a friend.

Literature is a fantastic place to find heroes to teach us about character. I’m raising my children to know great heroes—people and characters they can look back to when life feels like a battle against a formidable evil. As much as I want them to know heroes from great books, however, I greatly desire my children to know heroes of the faith. Where can we find the stories of heroes to inspire our children to live for Christ?

The Bible

 The Bible is a treasure trove of heroes who live out faith in God. I love how God used the stories of less-than-perfect people to inspire us. Ruth teaches loyalty (Ruth 1:16). Noah obeys God when the commands seem impossible (Genesis 6). Paul teaches perseverance from a prison cell (Philippians 1:12–14). Joseph models forgiveness after unthinkable betrayal (Genesis 50:19–21). Esther boldly uses her royal position to save her people (Esther 7:3–5). The heroes of the Bible have stood the test of time for millennia.

The ultimate hero, Jesus, was possibly the most unlikely. Born into poverty, from a nowhere town, conquering with love and sacrifice instead of sword and shield, Jesus teaches us true heroism. In our home, we talk about his bravery in standing up to the establishment, in reaching out to the marginalized, and in walking to his own execution with forgiveness in his heart. There is no greater hero in history.

Biographies of Saints, Martyrs, and Missionaries

Church history beyond Bible times isn’t taught in many modern Western churches. History records the lives of hundreds of men and women of all denominations living after Bible times who dedicated their lives to the poor, the orphan, the oppressed, and the downtrodden, all in the service of God.

This year, I’m reclaiming church history as a core subject in our home. We’re reading the stories of Saint Francis, Mother Teresa, Dorothy Day, John the Baptist, Jim Elliot, George Mueller, and Gladys Aylward, to name a few. Two of our favorite books on church history are Trial and Triumph and the Loyola Book of Heroes.

Everyday Heroes

We can find heroes of faith in our families and communities as well. We share with our children about families who are missionaries in the field and families who have welcomed orphans. We tell them about friends caring for disabled loved ones and those who are grieving or ailing with God’s peace even though times are tough. When we encounter someone living out their faith well, we should point out these examples to our children (and ourselves), as people doing something to which we aspire. Everyday heroes are all around if we look through the lens of faith.

We often think of heroes as rarities, those special people with courage, character, and charisma. The truth is, we release the hero within us when we walk in faith, act unafraid, and work toward a good bigger than ourselves. Surround yourself with the stories of heroes old and new to encourage your family to live a life of heroic faith.

Lindsay Hufford is a writer, slow marathoner, home educator and mediocre knitter. Her favorite things include books, kombucha, kitchen dancing, natural wellness, Jesus, and nachos. She spends days with her handsome hubby, three adorable kids, a flock of hens, a runaway peahen, wandering barn cat, and rescue dog. Lindsay shares ways to live simply and love extravagantly at www.lindsayhufford.com.

Photograph © Annie Spratt, used with permission