"What better role for anyone to aspire to than hero?"

I finally had the opportunity to watch “The Avengers” the other day.  It was well worth the wait; what a phenomenal movie!  Before I move into the heart of this blog today, let me just state if you haven’t seen this film, go ahead and do so.  “The Avengers” has everything you could want: eye-popping action, moments of absolute hilarity, and you may even shed a tear or two. 

Ever since I watched this flick, I’ve been thinking a lot about the topic of heroism (because this is something that the Avengers display abundantly in the film).  In another movie called “Superman/Batman: Apocalypse” Superman asks this thought-provoking question: “What better role for anyone to aspire to than hero?”

Perhaps you are thinking, “I know about the importance of heroism, but I can’t do anything as grandiose as save someone from a burning building, or stop a thief from robbing a bank, or that kind of thing.”  I’m right there with you, but these examples are not the only way that heroism is displayed.

I love this quote from the late tennis player, Arthur Ashe: “True heroism is remarkably sober, very undramatic.  It is not the urge to surpass all others at whatever cost, but the urge to serve others at whatever cost.”  This is profound, and it is Biblical.  Jesus said that the greatest among us is actually the servant (Matthew 20:26).  Heroism might actually be best displayed by selflessly serving others, and by looking out for the wellbeing of others first instead of looking out for yourself first.

For another example of practical, everyday heroism consider this scene from an episode of the TV show “Boy Meets World.”  The main character, Cory Matthews, is having a discussion with his neighbor/mentor George Feeny on what it means to be a hero.  Feeny puts it succinctly when he states, "A real hero is someone who does the right thing when the right thing isn’t the easy thing to do.”  

For instance, maybe you are a single man who is tempted to go “all the way” with your girlfriend even though you aren’t married.  The right thing to do, Biblically speaking, is to remain sexually pure until marriage, but that is certainly not the easy thing.  The easy thing is to follow the cultural expectation and sleep around.  But remember: “a real hero is someone who does the right thing when the right thing isn’t the easy thing to do.”  The bottom line is this: you and I can be a hero, and we don’t even have to wear a cape or mask!

Kevin