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Heroes

Album: Gold Audio 03: Heroes

Episode: 48

Lesson/Theme: Hero worship.

Bible Verse: Hebrews 7:26

Characters: George, Jimmy, Connie, Whit

Writer: Paul McCusker

Sound Designer: Dave Arnold

Original Air Date: November 12, 1988

Last Air Date: March 18, 2008

Description:
Extra! Extra! Read all about it! Former basketball star Lightning Livingston has moved to Odyssey after retiring from the game. Frank Malone, a reporter from the Odyssey Times, interviews Lightning at the site of his new sports store. Frank tries to find out why the star retired from the game so young. Lightning refuses to answer questions about his retirement. He says he'd like to conduct some basketball workshops with the youth of Odyssey-much to the great satisfaction of Jimmy Barclay, Lightning's greatest fan. Malone isn't satisfied with that, however. He digs further, talking to Livingston's only friend in town, John Avery Whittaker. But Whit has no comment for Malone about Lightning's retirement, either-even when Malone suggests that the star quit the game because of a drug problem. Unfortunately, Jimmy is also present and is upset to hear this. Jimmy says the assertion is a lie, but Malone vows to reveal the truth. Jimmy attends Lightning's basketball workshop. His devotion to the man grows, despite Lightning's attempts to quell it. Later, at Whit's End, Howard slams Lightning, accusing him of using drugs. Jimmy flies into a rage and yells at Howard, who tells Jimmy to go ask Lightning about it himself. Jimmy rushes to Lightning's sports shop and confronts Lightning about his rumored drug problem. Jimmy can't believe it, but Lightning admits that it's true. Jimmy runs off, upset. The next day, Lightning makes a statement from the steps of city hall, admitting his problem and crediting Jesus with changing his life. Unfortunately, Jimmy misses the press conference because he's apologizing to everyone he yelled at the previous day. When Jimmy gets home, Lightning is there waiting for Jimmy. Lightning confesses he made a terrible mistake using drugs, but Christ turned his life around. He asks Jimmy for forgiveness. Jimmy does, having learned a valuable lesson-that the only hero any of us will ever need is Jesus.

Questions:
Frank Malone said, "the people have a right to know." Why did he say this? Was he correct? Why did Whit believe that the stories about Lightning's former drug abuse shouldn't have been printed in the paper? Was it wrong for Jimmy to make Lightning his hero? Why or why not? Do you have a hero?