Thursday, December 7
Unlikely Heroes
Narrative Lectionary Daily Devotions written by Kace Leetch from Clergy Stuff.
The king has been distressed because of frightening dreams that no one could identify or interpret. But God revealed the dream to Daniel so that Daniel could interpret it for the king. This is a classic story of an insignificant someone who has been given a gift that could save the masses.
In my lifetime, there have been many stories of unlikely heroes who rose to the occasion and saved the masses (or just a few). Here are a few of my favorites unlikely heroes of all time.
Harry Potter: Harry Potter, an abused little boy who discovers he's a wizard. Takes on the darkest wizard of all time. Saves the world.
Fablehaven: Kendra and her younger brother, Seth, grandkids of the caretakers of a safe haven for fairytale creatures. Fights the evil. Saves the world.
The Hobbit: Bilbo Baggins, a hobbit from the Shire. Sets out on an adventure. Makes unlikely, lifelong friends. Saves Middle Earth.
Sucker Punch: Baby Doll, a young girl locked in an asylum by her abusive stepfather who blames her for her younger sister's death. Slips into a dreamlike state to cope. Saves a fellow patient.
Xena, Warrior Princess: Xena, warrior princess with a dark past, and her companion, Gabrielle, a bard. Fights gods and monsters. Saves lots of people.
Mulan: Mulan, a soldier's daughter whose ailing father is called to war. Takes his place. Fights and defeats the Huns. Saves China.
Who are some of yours?
Narrative Lectionary Text: Daniel 2:24-35
Therefore Daniel went to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon, and said to him, “Do not destroy the wise men of Babylon; bring me in before the king, and I will give the king the interpretation.” Then Arioch quickly brought Daniel before the king and said to him: “I have found among the exiles from Judah a man who can tell the king the interpretation.” The king said to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, “Are you able to tell me the dream that I have seen and its interpretation?” Daniel answered the king, “No wise men, enchanters, magicians, or diviners can show to the king the mystery that the king is asking, but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and he has disclosed to King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen at the end of days. Your dream and the visions of your head as you lay in bed were these: To you, O king, as you lay in bed, came thoughts of what would be hereafter, and the revealer of mysteries disclosed to you what is to be. But as for me, this mystery has not been revealed to me because of any wisdom that I have more than any other living being, but in order that the interpretation may be known to the king and that you may understand the thoughts of your mind.
“You were looking, O king, and lo! there was a great statue. This statue was huge, its brilliance extraordinary; it was standing before you, and its appearance was frightening. The head of that statue was of fine gold, its chest and arms of silver, its middle and thighs of bronze, its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay. As you looked on, a stone was cut out, not by human hands, and it struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay and broke them in pieces. Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold, were all broken in pieces and became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away, so that not a trace of them could be found. But the stone that struck the statue became a great mountain and filled the whole earth."