Everyone Loves a Superhero, right?

A few years ago, a couple of popular videos showcasing dads who were sacrificing for their disabled sons.  One dad, with his son in tow, participated in triathlons running, cycling, and even swimming while pushing and pulling his son along.  Another dad had to adjust his work schedule to attend all his son’s high school band practices, memorizing all the steps while pushing his son’s wheelchair so his son could play his instrument and participate in all their performances.

These and many other heroic stories warm our hearts and can even bring us to tears.  The love, sacrifice, and dedication these dads have for their sons is remarkable and touching.  These are just a few of the characteristic’s gleaned from of our loving Heavenly Father in whose image we are made. 

Yet when we think about Jesus’ sacrifice, the ultimate and undeserving gift of salvation He offers all, some aren’t so quick to accept the gift.

See, Jesus is the ultimate Superhero.  The One who swoops in and saves the day by saving us from ourselves and guaranteeing eternal life with Him!

For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.  (Romans 5:7-8 ESV)

So why isn’t Jesus loved, adored, and followed by all? 

It’s Hard

Jesus tells us to love and pray for our enemies, forgive those who have wronged us, and to just do the right thing.  These are just a few of His commands and they can be challenging at times.  This requires effort, self-control, and not retaliating.  Fortunately for us, He promises great reward for our obedience (Luke 6:35) and to send His Spirit to help us.

But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.  (John 14:26 ESV)

I Don’t Want to Change

We are good with heroes as long as they don’t ask anything of us.  We can admire Superman from afar and it never affect our personal life.  Following Jesus requires sanctification – a continuous process of change - becoming more and more like Him in our daily lives.  The more we become like our Savior, the sweeter our life will be!

Photo by TK Hammonds on Unsplash

And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit. (2 Cor. 3:18 ESV)

Loss of Family or Friends

“What if I lose family or friends??”  Or at least I’m not invited to the party anymore?  When we start living for Jesus, some won’t understand.  Some will be afraid, and others simply want no part of it since they are now convicted by our presence.  Jesus knows.  Again, He promises reward:   

Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life.  But many who are first will be last, and the last first.” (Mark 10: 29-31 ESV)

I Won’t Have Fun Anymore

This simply is not true.  God is all about a party!  Feast(s) is mentioned over 180 times in the Bible (ESV).  God wants us to enjoy Him and the blessings He lavishes on us.

Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. (Psalms 37:4 ESV)

Yet, we weren’t promised life without difficulties.  Everyone will experience trials in this life at some point or another.  I would much prefer to go through them with Jesus than without.

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.  And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.  (James 1:2-4 ESV)

While we probably won’t “leap tall buildings in a single bound”, let’s not forget we too can be a “hero” in our own small part of the world.  When we make sacrifices for our spouse, children, friends, neighbors, etc. we join Jesus in His superhero work.  No, not for notoriety, but for the privilege of loving the lost and broken, pointing one more to the only One who can truly save.

For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves,in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. (Colossians 1:13-14 NIV)