Superheroes?

 

I am not much of a Marvel cult follower. After I looked at the list of Marvel movies, I don't think I have watched any of them. This series of movies definitely has a cult following. People love Super Heroes. As a kid, we grew up with Superman. We loved how he would always sweep in to save the day. In an article from Liberty University's Student Newspaper, they made this statement about superheroes:

"It is common knowledge that people are drawn to heroes. Children want to be them. Adults want to date them. Regardless of age, there is something about superheroes’ strength, courage and creative use of unique abilities that people want to emulate." https://www.liberty.edu/champion/2019/04/opinion-marvel-films-teachers-their-audiences-heroism/

I am not necessarily being critical of the Marvel movies. They are obviously fantasy and can be a great form of entertainment. Yet, in our search for real heroes outside the fantasy world of the movies, we tend to build people up as superheroes that are not. Many times the actors that play these fictional roles are lifted up as more valuable than the real heroes of our day, members of our military, police officers, first responders, pastors, and normal citizens. We build up and even worship our sports personalities that appear to have superhuman strength or athletic ability. 

In Isaiah 32, the prophet tells us of "a righteous king coming."(Isa. 32:1) He tells us, "In that day ungodly fools will not be heroes. Scoundrels will not be respected." (Isa. 32:5) 

I long for the day people can recognize GODLY men and women as heroes. My childhood heroes of Superman and Underdog (Ok, don't make fun of me!) have been replaced by my favorite godly man, Peter, and my favorite evangelist Paul. I don't worship fantasy heroes anymore. I worship Jesus Christ, God who came to live amongst us and saved us in a way that Captain America, Spiderman, and Thor, never can.

Are you drawn to Jesus Christ in the same way you are drawn to the fictional superheroes of Marvel Comics? I want to be like Jesus more than Iron Man or Wolverine. I love Jesus' strength, courage, and how he used his love to change the world. My greatest desire is to live a life even remotely emulating him. 

Jesus -- the REAL superhero!