Carrying the Banner

I recently finished reading the book Skyward by Admiral Richard Byrd. He was the first person to fly over both the North and South Poles and did a lot to pioneer aviation in its early days. I enjoyed the book, which was a memoir he wrote just prior to his flight to the South Pole. One chapter that especially impacted me was the one where he describes becoming a “hero” after his return from the North Pole. Life changed for him and he was expected to give speeches and ride in parades and attend fancy dinners. And then, just a couple of months later, Gertrude Ederle became the first woman to swim across the English Channel. Now the parades and dinners were given in her honor and then-Commander Byrd slid into the background. As he thought about that experience, he made two observations about being a hero. First, He said that being a hero is like holding up the flag. People don’t cheer for you but for the symbol of what you’ve accomplished, the spirit you’ve exhibited. It’s really not about you but rather about the idea of what you’ve done. And second, he said, “I’m really only carrying the banner for a little while.” Before long, someone else will come along and the people will cheer for what they’ve accomplished, and you’ll know that you’ve passed the banner to them.

As I was reading, I was reminded of the words of Jesus: “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father” (Matthew 5:14-16). If you were sitting in the crowd that day listening to Jesus speak, you would have thought that he would have said to do good works so that people would praise you. But that’s not what He says! He says that when people cheer and notice the good that you have done, they really aren’t praising you at all. They’re praising the One who has sent you. Any good we have is not ours, but God’s! We’re called to carry the banner of heaven for a little while and when people see the good we have done, they’re not really seeing us but the One who sent us. Today, I’m thanking God for the privilege of carrying His banner for a little while and praying that a few will notice the good I’ve done and praise my heavenly Father.