By: Undre Griggs, Jr.
Every summer there appears to be a new superhero movie that millions of people feel compelled to see. Have you ever wondered what is it about superhero movies that draw our attention? Could it be because it provides an escape from the demands of everyday life? Could it be the nostalgia of childhood we want to share with our children or relive with our friends? Could it be all the action scenes filled with suspense, explosions, and special effects? While each of those things may be true, it is actually much deeper than that. As humans, we want to believe in the greater good. We like the idea that someone out there is willing to put their life on the line for someone else.
Galatians 1:4-5 (NKJV): Who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
Superheroes provide us the ability to struggle, fail, grow, and succeed with them through their journey. When they lose, we lose and when they win, we win. We find things about their life that matches ours as we imagine ourselves doing what they do to make the world a better place. This may provoke the natural question; why do we go to fiction to find superheroes? Outside of superpowers, we find most people do not possess the superhero gene.
John 15:13 (NIV): Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends.
If a hero is willing to sacrifice their life for another, then a villain is willing to preserve their life at the expense of another. As a result of sin entering the world, all have fallen short of the glory of the Lord (Romans 3:23). If we put man on a pedestal, they will surely let us down at least once in our life. That is why Christ wants us to build our house of faith on the solid foundation of His words.
Matthew 7:24-25 (ESV): Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.
If we build our house on a belief in man, that house may fall as the relationship shifts and experiences change. We must look to one greater than ourselves and find traits in Him that we wish were in us. We must then make the change in our lives because we can acquire the superhero gene. We enjoy superhero movies because they draw the best out of humanity and we enjoy seeing good triumph over evil. Well there is no greater example of good triumphing over evil than the account of Jesus and his triumph over corruption, death, manipulation, and misdeeds.
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