Characteristics of Heroes: Self-Sacrifice – but to what end?

I don't think it would be a fair interpretation of "Hero" to give away the label when someone simply spends time to rescue another from some minor fate.  For example, my wife just called and has a flat tire on her car.  She may lightly call me her hero when I fix it, but to anyone else, I would be a "good neighbor" if I helped them with a flat on the side of the road.  This is how neighbors should be.

Of all the presidential candidates running in the primaries now, are any a Hero?  If they try to make everyone happy, spend time on the campaign trail, but have power, fame and money as their end target, they are not a hero.  Do any of the candidates believe they have a cure for America, but it DOESN'T make everyone happy – and sticking to that cure approach is costing them some popularity, at the risk of possibly losing the primaries?  Are Heroes "moderates", or 'beyond the ordinary' as noted last week?

President Abraham Lincoln had a cure plan for the sickness of slavery, affecting America in his day, and today happens to be his birthday.  Lincoln's plan offended many people who benefited from slavery, and it could have cost him his re-election – but he stuck with the plan.  The country was torn apart for a time of Civil War, and it was while visiting the graves of soldiers of one of the large early battles, that Lincoln set his life to follow God.  I admire the sensitive spirit in Lincoln, recognizing the ravages of war on the families whose men were in the graves he walked among, and the sense of responsibility he had for his part in affecting their deaths. 

Without allowing God to touch and guide his life, I could not call Lincoln one of my heroes.

In an earlier email, I mentioned that as a child, I labeled  John F. Kennedy as a hero.  I later learned that Mr. Kennedy had an affair (committed adultery) and that was the end of him in my Hero ranks.  I learned the same of Martin Luther King Jr, who is said to have been with another woman (committing adultery) the night before his assassination.  And King David, "a man after God's heart" also committed adultery – placing his own wants above his love for God, and God's plan for his life. 

When I look for heroes other than Jesus and God, I do care how they treated their wives and husbands, and where they stood/stand with God.  When we pick a hero, aren't we saying we wouldn't mind being like that person?

People do pick heroes that do wonderful or amazing things, sacrificing themselves in one way or another.  But were they on God's mission?  I suppose for me, those not serving God directly may be "heroes", but those faithfully following God's plan are "Heroes".  To what end do they sacrifice themselves?  To God's end.