Why I wish I was a super hero.

Every little boy wishes he had a super power. Perhaps, every man wishes the same. I speak for myself when I admit that I do. I love superhero stories. At the root of my love, beyond flying or time travel, lies some very fundamental desires.

I desire simplicity -

In every superhero story, there are the good guys, and the bad guys. Real life is full of people who are somewhere in between. Real life, unfortunately, is filled with people who are capable of a lot of good and bad alike, and often times, good and evil, fit nicely on a line of gray. Decisions are complicated, and I for one, when making these decisions, spend most of my time second guessing them.

I desire to be selfless-

In most superhero stories, the hero is always selfless. He places the needs of others over any need he may have at the moment. This is beautiful. I desire this. Although most of the time, I desire self-gratification a little more. If people lived by this philosophy, most, if not all of the problems in our society would cease to exist.

I desire wisdom-

Like I mentioned above, life gets pretty confusing. Half the time, I honestly do not know what the right decision is. A superhero always knows the decision he must make. I envy this. A lot of the mistakes that I have made in my life, I have made due to a lack of wisdom.

I desire to live by integrity-

I want to be the kind of man who always does what I think to be right. I don't want to make a decision based on convenience, or self interest. I want to be the type of person who will walk by integrity even at my own peril.


I desire to be calm in the midst of chaos-

I get overwhelmed pretty easily. When I get stressed, my mind instantly fogs up and I become easily irritated. I want to be able to think clearly and make quick decisions in the eye of the storm. Superheros are always able to think clearly. What? The world is about to be destroyed? Nothing a little clear decision making can't handle.


Unfortunately, until I get bit by a spider, crash my car in a lake of radioactive waste, or evolve into a X-Men, I will have to trust in a God who offers grace through my mistakes, and I will have to endure some of my more human qualities. Life is a process, and even though I wish I had more wisdom, selflessness, and integrity, I will have to take life one decision at a time. Hopefully, I will make decisions and love people in a way that reflects the God who has shown me so much love.

Redemption

In a day of political correctness, there are many negative stigmas attached to Jesus. In some sense, this is understandable. Jesus may be the most politically incorrect person who has ever lived. Jesus, came along, and told the world that he is the only way to salvation. Not one of the ways, but the only way. If there was a picture attached to the phrase 'politically incorrect', it would probably be Jesus giving two thumbs up.
Jokes aside, truth is a one way street. Either Jesus was telling the truth, or he wasn't. There really isn't a middle ground for a guy who claimed to be God and tells the world that he is the only way to redemption.
I am one of those odd characters who believes that Jesus was telling the truth. For me, its not a matter of political correctness, or being sensitive to others opinions, its about sharing the most beautiful story that was ever told.
The gospel is incredibly simple. It is a story wrapped in hope, beauty, love, and redemption. Jesus, sacrificed himself, so that we could be washed clean in the eyes of God. He took the cross quietly, humbly, and willingly. It is the greatest story ever told.
I have always loved watching the sun rise. Its the perfect metaphor for salvation. With each sunrise, we get a fresh start because Jesus decided that we were worth the cost. The cost that he alone paid, so that we could experience redemption.
Redemption starts now, its not something that we look forward to. It transcends into every aspect of our lives. We have the freedom to live our lives, make mistakes, fail, succeed, and continue to press forward, because Christ paid a price. This to me, is simply amazing.