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We are all drawn to those people who have the "it" factor. Am I right? It's just human nature. We tend to radiate around individuals who seem to know a lot about a particular subject; have extreme talent; or have something to offer our current situation.
But what about Bible characters?
If someone were to ask you to name five people from the Bible who have left the most impact on you, could you come up with a list? If not, let me go ahead and get those creative juices flowing by sharing my five.
Joseph - This guy was chosen by God to save not only the people of Egypt, but his own family. The lesson, however, was in the years of waiting and in the extreme trials ever before the final plan came together. Oh, man, can I relate. And...I'm still waiting.
Esther - This gal went through so much adversity and uncertainty in order to fulfill God's plan for her. Because of her obedience, God used her to be the catalyst for the divine protection of the entire Jewish population. She was a definite rock star!
Nehemiah - This fella felt burdened over the disrepair of the wall around the holy city. He not only gathered up enough courage to ask the king to allow him to return to fix it, but also inspired the people to work despite threats and danger. Loved his grit.
Peter - This guy is my brother from another mother. He was a little impetuous and rough around the edges, but had a rock solid faith. Matter-of-fact, his name meant "rock". Though Peter had his notable moment of weakness, in the end he became a pillar of faith. I can relate so much to this guy and his shortcomings. We truly are kindred spirits.
Jesus - I guess this is a given. I mean, who wouldn't list Jesus? Without Him there is no story. Without mentioning Him in the lineup, I would simply fall short of having an MVP. Just as Peter exclaimed in John 6:68, "Lord, to whom would we go?"
This is not an exhaustive list by any means. I could have listed so many others: Elijah, Deborah, Rahab, Ruth, Daniel, Matthew, the woman at the well, Paul, etc. Yet, these are some of the ones I have turned to time and again for encouragement and lessons from the lives in which they lived.
They were not perfect, except for Jesus, of course, but they did face challenges, frustrations, heartache, and trials. The key was their faith and the overall direction their journey was taking them.
So, who are your five or ten or fifteen? I'd love to hear your choices and why. Let me know. Who knows, I may change my list. Except for Jesus, of course.