Hidden Heroes

What does it take to become a hero? When we think of our heroes, the people who often come to mind are those who have power, fame, and popularity. They may appear on the headlines or speak at large events or have written several books. We may listen to their podcasts every week or follow them on Twitter. Some of these people truly have heroic qualities, but how did they get there? By personal achievement, hard work, and connections, for sure, but more than likely, there is the quiet presence of a faithful supporter backing them up: a hidden hero.

Three “hidden heroes” come to mind: a Biblical one, fictional one, and recent historical one. Each of these people was faithful to his specific vocation and ended up influencing some of the most well-known and well-loved characters in history. We tend to focus on the big names, but let’s not forget the ones who made them big.

The first one is Andrew, one of Jesus’ first disciples, and Peter’s brother. We don’t know much about Andrew, except that he was one of the first men to drop everything and follow Jesus and that he introduced Peter to Jesus. John tells us that Andrew “found his brother Simon, and said to him, ‘We have found the Messiah’.” He brought his brother to Jesus, who renamed Simon “Peter”, meaning “rock” (John 1:35-42). Peter would become the rock on which Christ founded His Church. He was by no means perfect and was often a big fool, but Christ used his weaknesses to accomplish His purpose of building His Church. Today, Peter is one of the Biblical names that most people recognize and know, and yet he became who he was because of his brother Andrew bringing him to Jesus. Who can you bring to Jesus today?

The second hidden hero is found in the beloved Lord of the Rings series: Samwise Gamgee. Without Sam, Frodo would have never made it to Mount Doom. Sam remained his faithful friend, even when Frodo treated him poorly. Right before climbing Mt. Doom, Sam encourages Frodo, ‘Come, Mr. Frodo!’ he cried. ‘I can’t carry it for you, but I can carry you and it as well. So up you get!…. Sam will give you a ride. Just tell him where to go, and he’ll go.’ Yes, Frodo was given the mission of carrying and eventually destroying the ring of power, but if you’ve read the books, you will remember that Frodo, in a way, failed in his mission. At the very end, at Mount Doom, Frodo does exactly the opposite of he is supposed to do: he claims the Ring for himself. Gollum ends up snatching the ring and falling backwards into the fiery chasm. So the mission is accomplished, in a roundabout way. But not without the faithfulness and loyalty of Samwise Gamgee. Who can you encourage in your life today to complete their mission?

The last hidden hero is one who I recently have discovered: Jan Tyranowski. He was a tailor in Poland during the early 20th century. He was shy and reserved and is not well-known today. However, through his faithful prayer life and leadership initiatives, he ended up becoming the mentor of a very influential man of the 20th and 21st centuries: St. John Paul II. JPII’s main message was to remind the Church of its central mission: the proclamation of Jesus Christ to the world. In his teachings, he emphasized the importance of family and authentic sexuality. He started World Youth Day, a massive gathering for young people to encounter Christ. And he was a key figure in the fall of communism. Most people have heard of JPII, but most have never heard of the man who encouraged him to greatness: the hidden hero of Jan Tyranowski. Who can you mentor and disciple today to encourage them to live to their fullest potential?

These three “hidden heroes” have three main characteristics in common: faithfulness in the small things, courage to do what is right in the face of injustice, and humility to accept one’s vocation and live it out. What is your mission right now? It may seem small in the moment, but faithfulness in the small things will eventually move mountains. You may never see the result of your impact, but know that if you live out your own mission with faithfulness, courage, and humility, the world will change for the better.