Dale Earnhardt: My Hero As A Hero

When I was younger, my hero was Dale Earnhardt. Coming from nothing, Earnhardt quickly rose through the ranks to become a champion. He was a stock car driver who consistently pushed the boundaries of his sport often incurring the wrath of the older more seasoned drivers. He survived his youthful exuberance only to later become a seasoned and highly respected driver himself. In February of 2001, he was killed doing what he loved, and I was devastated. See, the problem was I had never realized he was my hero until he died. In fact, when I initially saw the wreck and where he was in the points system, I can remember thinking to myself, “oh well, we’ve had to dig out of bigger holes than this.” Three hours later, the leaders of NASCAR held a press conference to say he had died, and I literally broke down in tears. I also remember thinking at the time, “Why do I feel this way?” I found the thought of mourning for someone I had never met, very strange. I say all of this to make a point. I had grown up worshipping and idolizing someone I did not personally know and really knew very little about. Our society places a premium on entertainment, sports, and political figures. Yet

Scripture consistently makes it clear that as disciples of Christ we are to serve others and be less self-centered. When we put those teachings into action, we set a biblical example for our family that shows we have read and applied the teachings in scripture. Whether it is serving in the church or helping with the local homeless shelter, we should be active in taking Christ to others by serving them. Doing this will show we are not merely readers of the Word but also doers of the Word. When a family observes their father and husband being more Christ centered by serving others, it is much more likely to have a positive impact on the family than simply instructing them to be servant