as far as heroes go

he·ro/ˈhi(ə)rō/Noun

1. A person, typically a man, who is admired for courage or noble qualities.

2. The chief male character in a book, play, or movie, who is typically identified with good qualities.

In a world where "hero" gets tossed around with reckless confusion in just about every form of media these days, it is hard to imagine what a true and real "hero" would look like. This "hero" word seems to have been classically used in describing horse-riding, hair-grooming, dragon-slaying, gym-junkie princes who ends up with the princess from the tallest room, in the tallest tower, of the tallest castle, on the tallest hill. It seems that an era of want-to-be heroes were perfectly catered for by the Disney phenomena, where strength and charm wins the day. After that, our emasculated society called for a different kind of "hero". Men no longer saw themselves as protein-guzzling princes, but have been perfectly stomped into the mold of a working class loser. Here we seem to have a shift from the horse-riding, hair-grooming, dragon-slaying, gym-junkie prince to a not so royal no-car, don't-shower, down-beaten, alcohol-junkie prince who ends up with the princess from the bombed-bedroom, in the paint-peeling-house, of the slummiest neighborhood. It seems that this era of unlikely-heroes were accurately catered for by the feel-good-movie phenomena, where sympathy and pity wins the day. The "hero" typecast is sure to change again, who knows to what kind of prince next...only one thing remains unchanging, and that is that nothing stays the same. Uncertainty is ruling in this world of inconsistency. Change is as sure as tomorrow will bring it and as yesterday cannot remember what it looks like. What will "being a hero" look like to us, and more importantly, what will a "hero" be for us? This question seems to take another 'relevance step' forward as there is sure to be yet another end to one of these metamorphic "hero eras".

We are a society which need heroes, and when not being told what the next hero typecast is, we continually look into the distance to see if we can see what the next "hero phenomena" will be that comes galloping, or moping, over that far green hill, or distant potholed-road. We need heroes, and seem to always be frantically looking into the distance to see what this might look like. This continual view to our hero-future though, seem to hold the possibility of driving hero-status to levels of insanity, so maybe it's time to stop looking so far forward into our fantasy-future of inventing new heroes, and simply see what reality has already dished up.

In an ever changing world...in an ever so uncertain and inconsistent world of fantasy heroes, we lose sight of what a real hero looks like, consist of, and live like. We seem to be a society that constantly compromise the very definition we set for a hero so that somehow the next great hero-producing phenomena may frame not only the definition of what a hero would be for us in that particular era, but therefore, frame our very inspiration and being. If we were a society who dare not compromise on our definition of a hero, our eyes might hopefully wilt blind to the ever so inconsistent hero forgery that we seem to embrace. If we were a society who then dare apply the uncompromising definition correctly, our hearts might hopefully grow open to the ever so consistent and present heroes that already exist and should be embraced in our lives.

Maybe when we look at history and stay true to definitions and attributes in our definition of a hero, and apply the premise that only the very best would suffice , open hearts would see that the only person who really satisfies the concept of a hero that we look for and need, and a big-H one at that, is Jesus. Small-h heroes merely point to him. God and man, courageous in suffering, noble in death, chief shepherd in the greatest book ever written, chief focus in this play called life, chief hero in this movie of eternity, and the only one who can ever be identified, not just as good, but as perfect, and therefore the only one qualified for being our true big-H Hero.

he·ro/ˈhi(ə)rō/Noun

1. A person, typically a man, who is admired for courage or noble qualities.

2. The chief male character in a book, play, or movie, who is typically identified with good

qualities.

Jesus has been and will remain the Hero phenomena of all eras, there's no other big-H Heroes and never will be. There is, however, the small-h heroes who live to magnify Jesus as the only big-H Hero. They are not as significant, but significant nevertheless. One such small-h hero is my father-in-law, more appropriately known as dad-S. There are not a lot of small-h heroes in my life, and I am immensely privileged to be able to have such a man in my life. He is undoubtedly a modern day faith hero. This world seems to be driven by self-help, selfish living, inwardly focused people who live for self, encourage the acquisition of earthly wealth, and preach "your best life now". Dad-S stands firm as a man in this world not of this world, driven by helping others, selfless living, and an upward focus who live for others, encourage the acquisition of treasures in heaven, and preach "Jesus will give you your best life then".

When I look at dad-S I see how the life Paul describes in the Bible is lived out practically. That the Christian life is painful yet joyful, discouraging yet empowering, depressing yet hopeful, and dead-like yet Christ.

In a world stained with want-to-be heroes, Jesus stands out as the ultimate, and yes only, big-H Hero. And no-one makes as much of this wonderful truth as dad-S, the ultimate small-h hero...a hero I am wonderfully privileged to know.