Everyday Saints: How to Discover the Hidden Heroes in Your Life

By Dr John Nyamunda – Big Picture: Overcome by Admiration

We all admire saints—great saints—for their unfathomable acts of love and sacrifice. Think of St Teresa of Calcutta, who devoted her life to the poorest of the poor in the slums of Kolkata, or St Vincent de Paul, who tirelessly served the poor, sick, and marginalised. Their achievements are extraordinary, and their love seems beyond our reach. But what about the people close to us, who, in their own small way, reflect the love of Christ? People who, like my grandmother, gave “one of these little ones even a cup of cold water” (Matt 10:42) and, in doing so, transformed lives.

Why should you care?

There’s merit in admiring our Saints, even giving our children their names. However, their lives are often worlds apart from yours. Their struggles? Different. Their love? Uncommon. Few of us possess the heroic love of St Maximilian Kolbe, who volunteered to be starved to death in a German concentration camp in place of another prisoner. Not me, maybe not you? This is why you might just need to appreciate your everyday heroes. Who in your life are you overlooking?

A Story of Quiet Bravery

For me, it’s my grandmother. In the late 1950s, my father had never stepped into a classroom, even though he was 12 years old. My grandfather, with his meagre 2-huts, 2-cows, refused to be seen herding those cows. As a community church leader of a tiny congregation, it was beneath him. Before you start throwing stones at the poor man, I should say in our village back then, school wasn’t exactly a priority.

Equally shameful was for a married woman to herd cattle. It was definitely a job of a boy. Yet, my grandmother quietly defied the norms. Seeing the value of education to her family, she took on the “shameful” task, and made sure her son, my father, got an education. This one small self-sacrifice set off a domino effect. Because of my father’s teaching salary, our family and many other relatives eventually escaped extreme poverty.

And yet, in our family, we don’t elevate my grandmother as a symbol of love, wisdom and courage. She risked public shame to make a decision that changed all our lives. Despite being illiterate and living in a “culturally backward” and poor environment she took action which mattered most.

The Takeaway

You might not see my grandmother as a hero, and that’s fine. But if I don’t recognise her as my hero, it’s a poverty of thought on my part. The same goes for you. Who’s that person in your life who made a massive contribution? By recognising the self-sacrifice of others, we draw closer to understanding God’s love for us.

These quiet, pedestrian heroes might have more relatable lessons for us than the Saints. Sure, St Augustine, Doctor of the Church and my personal hero is inspiring, but the everyday love of people like my grandmother resonates on a much deeper level. It’s something I can aspire to, every day. The courage to do the right things, despite the pressure imposed by my environment.

Bottom line

Sometimes, it’s the people we know well who can help us leapfrog to where we want to be. What lessons can you take from your everyday heroes and use to propel your next step?