by

Beth Muai

Bang! Bang! "Fire in the hole!" Bang! These are the sounds of war. Over the years, countless soldiers who have risked their lives in battle have been honored for their heroic displays of bravery and valor. I have found, though, that the mark of a true heroine or hero is not courage or boldness, but humility. Driven by this intangible quality, my heroine, Sarah Akins, goes about life expressing to me that I am important enough to be cared about, worthy to be sacrificed for, and above all, in need of much more than she could ever give.

From the first day I met her and experienced her selfless demeanor, I knew that she was different, and I could sense how instrumental she would be in my life. Sarah expressed her caring heart most when she listened endlessly to any and everything I had to say. It was so undeniable that she cared, that soon I was even able, for the first time in my life, to share about the sexual abuse I endured as a child. She quietly listened to even the most graphic of details without so much as even one gesture of disappointment, disinterest, or judgment. Sarah, in her heroic manner, humble accepted all that is me and revealed through her care and concern that I am important.

In addition to her selfless acts of listening, Sarah was also willing to give up the comforts she had always known as a sacrifice for me. In her sensitivity, she noticed the hurt and need in my own life for constant encouragement and endless hugs. She also knew of the horrific nightmares of flashback to the abuse that weighed heavily on my body and soul. Because of her humility, Sarah decided to come and live with me in my own home to help me openly and honestly deal with the trauma that no one else had ever been privy to. Sarah sacrificed her family and her life with willingness and enthusiasm. Again, through her humble actions, she displayed her heroism by showing how much she cared and how much I mattered.

As if all these acts were not enough, she further displayed her humble spirit by always admitting that she alone is not enough. I was shocked. I thought, "If she was not enough, then what was everyone else?" Sarah never took credit or accepted the praise for the gracious and selfless things she did. Instead, she gave all the glory and honor to Jesus Christ, to whom she introduced me. Explaining to me that He is the only one strong enough to handle life and all its aspects, Sarah did me the greatest favor anyone can do for another. By always pointing to someone greater, Jesus, she only added to her humble heroic heart.

Through a humility that acts as the root for her every care and sacrifice, Sarah gradually and in due time guided me to the one who made her the way she is and the one she is only a glimpse of. I would hope that there are many "Sarahs" in this world, but I have met only one. My Sarah may be someone else’s Joe or Phil, but in essence, they are really one in the same, functioning as one body spread throughout the world. Sarah is my hero.