Walking the Tightrope

What is a hero? Think about that for a second. Who or what was the first thing that came to mind? Was it a man, tall and strong, standing with his hands on his hips, cape fluttering behind him in the wind, promising to save the world? Was it a national leader in a suit and tie, shaking hands and promising peace? Was it an athlete with arms outstretched after scoring a game-winning bucket? What is heroism to you? Can the definition be objective, or is it purely subjective?

Superman flies over buildings rescuing those in trouble. Thomas Jefferson penned the words of the Declaration of Independence. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. gave a speech that changed the world. Abraham Lincoln led the country through the Civil War. Paul wrote from prison in chains. Captain America used his shield to uphold justice. George Washington was the first president of the United States. Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to a wooden door. Harry S. Truman helped end WWII. Achilles chose to die in glory. Caitlin Clark changed the game of basketball. Kennedy got America to space. William Tyndale helped translate the Bible. Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat. Mother Teresa cared for the poor. Tom Brady won countless Lombardi Trophies. Iron Man used his genius to create gadgets to protect citizens. Thomas Edison invented the light bulb. Taylor Swift is a cultural phenomenon. Lebron James is the king of basketball. Jackie Robinson overcame racial discrimination. Henry Ford changed automobiles.  Michael Phelps is the best swimmer ever. Odysseus returned home after great turmoil (“100 People”). It seems wrong to place Tom Brady and Mother Teresa in the same category of people. We may even question how these two polar opposites can be even remotely connected? Both of them and all the people above could be considered heroes. Although not everyone would agree that all the people above are heroes, each of them has done something to set themselves apart from those around them.

According to a poll of American teenagers, around the year 2000, there was a very sharp divide in how teenagers would identify heroes. Statistically, one-half of the teenagers were able to think of a personal hero. Along with that, Superman and Spiderman were named two times more often than Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., or Abraham Lincoln (LaBarge). This could be concerning. Gandhi, King, and Lincoln have transformed the world through their actions. Each of these men, through a unique strategy, banded together with a group of people to unify a nation or people group against oppression. Superman and Spiderman on the other hand, are not even real. They are a product of someone’s imagination. While they can show humanity what a hero may look like, they themselves should not be the standard. Another interesting trend was that one-half of the teenagers said their heroes were athletes, movie stars, or musicians (LaBarge). It is evident that as a society we are moving further away from the ancient meaning of heroism.

Humans are drawn to people with heroic qualities. “Their actions rise above the crowd. They separate themselves from the weak-kneed, the bench-sitters, those who lack the moral fortitude to do the right thing, and, in the end, the heroes make us better people, a better society, and a better world” (McRaven 152). Heroes hold great power and great responsibility, but how we interact with them will dictate their usefulness. A hero is a person from the Bible, history, cinema, or the current culture who personifies the values of that time or culture on a high level. The problem with heroes is that they often represent unrealistic expectations or unattainable goals. Over time their stories are embellished leaving us with a faulty memory. History classes quickly gloss over the details of their mistakes and that leaves them on a pedestal in our minds.

In his book, The Hero with a Thousand Faces, Joseph Campbell attempts to piece together the journey of a hero. He shows us a path that transforms the ordinary into heroic. According to Campbell, heroes begin their journey in the ordinary, but it is what they encounter along the way that transforms them into a hero. Towards the middle of their journey, they encounter a crisis. This is when “Being a hero [isn’t]…easy. It wasn’t meant to be. Being a hero can be filled with pain and disappointment. It is dangerous at times…” (McRaven 151). The journey a hero takes sets them apart. Heroes meet the requirements of this journey in many different ways. Achilles was killed to solidify his name on a list of war heroes, and Thomas Edison lit up the world after hundreds of tries.

Even through the journey of a hero, humanity has created mental images of who and what they think heroes are. This drives all future judgements on heroes. “In psychology, these mental models or images are called schemas or sometimes archetypes. The basic idea is that we have general images or conceptions of many kinds of people, including heroes” (Allison and Goethals, Heroes 7). Our perception of heroes is driven by the archetypes that we have unknowingly created in our minds.

Back to the original question, what is a hero? The Merriam-Webster dictionary gives four definitions of a hero. Each one speaks to a different facet of heroism. A hero can be “a mythological or legendary figure often of divine descent endowed with great strength or ability.” A hero can be, “an illustrious warrior.” A hero can be, “a person admired for achievements and noble qualities.” A hero can be, “one who shows great courage” (“Hero” Merriam-Webster). Each of these definitions has created the heroes of the past, the heroes of the present, and will create the heroes of the future. The confusion of the true meaning of heroism starts because of the multiple definitions. Each of the definitions is somewhat connected but also uniquely different. Not all heroes are mythological. Not all heroes exhibit great strength. Many heroes demonstrate courage, but is it required? “The vagueness of the hero concept may have also resulted in a misconstrued and overused term” (Sanchez 58). The over usage and various definitions of the term heroes has led to a loss of meaning. We quickly call people heroes with little thought to who they actually are and what they are actually doing.

As a result, to be called a hero is no longer reserved for a select few but for many in the general public. This leads humanity to ask: who really deserves to be called a hero, and who should carry the power to name someone a hero?  Heroism should not be considered normal. Not everyone can be a hero, because in that case there would be no one to call them heroic. There would be nothing about them that would set them apart. The heroic would become ordinary. There has to be something about heroes that sets them apart.

Because heroism is so normalized the beholder must use wisdom when evaluating them. Heroes can quickly and easily become idols. An idol is any time anyone or anything is put in the place of God. An idol then informs thoughts, actions, values, and desires. It means giving your life to something and you must count the cost. That is why a healthy relationship with heroes is necessary. Heroes have limitations. Even the heroes of cinema like Captain America experience pain and defeat. Even the heroes we have from real life have fallen into sin. Regardless of what we would like to believe our heroes cannot save us from our greatest problem. They, like ourselves, are subject to the human condition of sin. The condition of sin means that the world is not as it should be. Heroes, therefore, experience pain and heartbreak. They will fall into sinful actions, and they cannot solve all of our problems.

Idolatry walks a fine line in our hearts and minds. There are people and things that we can and should admire and appreciate, but the moment we take that admiration or appreciation too far we end up creating an idol. Think of idolatry as the pit beneath a tightrope. One miscalculation and the person is plunging to the ground below. They cannot lean too far to the right, and they cannot lean too far to the left; they must be centered to be balanced. Normally a tightrope walker has a net below to catch them, but idolatry has no net. A fall into the pit of idolatry, while not necessarily fatal, has lasting implications. It could be easier to just stay off the tightrope, but our human desires drive us to want heroes, create heroes, and crave the heroic ideal. When we as humans do this, we are walking a tightrope above the pit of idolatry. To avoid the disastrous fate of a fall into the pit of idolatry, humanity must understand that the term hero has changed in meaning over time, that often heroes are created by the communities that surround them, and that heroes have limitations. Despite the inevitable pitfalls surrounding heroism, ultimately heroes should point humanity to their need for a savior. That need can only be fulfilled in the person and work of Jesus Christ, the ultimate hero.

We can clearly see throughout history that the way the word hero is used has evolved (Sanchez 58). At one point heroism related to honor, duty, and patriotism (Sanchez 58). Then it evolved to focus on humanitarianism, economic attainment, military exploits, and scientific achievement (Sanchez 58). Now heroes are praised based on physical attributes, self-made characteristics, and courage (Sanchez 58). What makes it even more confusing is that society has not transitioned to accepting one singular meaning of heroism. As times have changed the definition has shifted, but the heroes of the past are still called heroes, even though they are not the same as the heroes of the present. No wonder society is confused. Heroism is a gray area. As a society we are not confident in what exactly a hero is, and this leads to confusion. It is easy to desire things to be black and white, but heroism is not.

Although the word hero was not used in the Bible, the Bible does highlight countless men and women because of their faith and humility. Biblical heroes are heroic because they trusted God even when it was not easy (Wolfmueller). Thus, they have become examples of how to follow Christ in faith. “…[E]very heroic story in the Bible draws attention to our need for the ultimate and true hero: God himself” (Yee). Gideon perceived himself as weak, and yet God used him to defeat a mighty army. Through that transformation he gave God the glory (Ryken 115-116). Ruth demonstrated faithfulness and loyalty by staying with Naomi. Esther represented a group of people and became a hero by saving the nation of the Jews (Ryken 117). Daniel did not fear what man thought and fully put his trust in Christ even in the face of death. Biblical heroes are allowed to be weak. They are human. They inevitably fall into sin. Their standard for heroism was set more on their faith than their worldly accomplishments. Biblical heroes were praised because of their character of humility and a willingness to be used by God. They were not searching to be used for their own gain but rather for the greater good. If this meant persecution and death, they were willing to stand strong.

The ancient Greeks and Romans had their own idea of heroism that contrasted the Biblical narrative of heroes. The ancient Greeks had an old saying that went, “Tell me who you admire, and I’ll tell you who you are” (Harper). Many of their heroes were warriors such as Aeneas. This society and culture understood that the people who were admired would shape their country. They advertised valiant men with undaunted courage. Some of their heroes were made larger than life itself creating unrealistic and unattainable standards. St. Augustine writes, “‘Since there was no eternal life for them what else were they to love apart from glory, whereby they chose to find even after death a sort of life on the lips of those who sang their praise?’” (Qtd. in Hughes-Hallett 29). To the people in the ancient world, honor and glory were more important than life itself. To be remembered for glorious and heroic deeds done in war was a standard set for heroism.

Today creators can paint heroes in whatever light they would like through cinema. Generations love Superman, the Hulk, Captain America, and Batman. These fictional characters entertain the masses and in so doing shape and mold the minds of youth. They are drawn to superheroes’ daring and sacrificial motives. “[Superheroes prompt us to] wrestl[e] with one of the most fundamental questions we could ever ask as human beings: Why are things so wrong with this world?” (Rana 17). Through these heroes we learn a lot about life and love, but they can also paint an idealistic view of heroism and moral values that is unattainable. “[T]he world of fictional heroes and villains [is] more black and white than the world of nonfictional heroes and villains” (Allison and Goethals, Heroes 34). This can be misleading and damaging to the actual definition of heroism. We begin to wonder if we are capable of achieving the feats of superheroes (Rana 17).

In the aftermath of World War I, Superman made his debut. “[He] was an unexpected and immediate success. With an origin story paralleling that of Moses, he functioned as a savior-type figure” (Rana 15). His success grew as more and more comics were produced. Many of them included world events and pegged Superman as the hero. More and more superhero stories followed. “[S]uperhero comics assume the role of myth in our society. So, while superheroes entertain us, satisfying our need for excitement and adventure, they connect with a deep-seated need in all of us for meaning, certainty, and hope” (Rana 17). This is how our society connects with the heroes of ancient Greece and Rome, and this is also where our society becomes confused with the gray area that relates to heroism.

As times continue to change, so do the heroes that society gravitates towards. “Society no longer idolizes all-perfect god-like figures, representing ideals one can never achieve. Society prefers the hero that has lost certain battles – someone that struggles, fails, but emerges stronger and more resilient” (Shang 20). This is where athletes and pop stars fit into the hero conversations. Humanity looks at their struggles on the field, court, stage, or personal life, and then they watch them overcome. The publicity is often what creates the hero.

Consider athletes such as Caitlin Clark, Tom Brady, and Lebron James who have become sports icons. Somewhere along the way, they have also become America’s idols. They have become people that society models their life after. In an effort to gain more customers, brands sign athletes to endorsement deals because they know their endorsement will increase sales. The people in the spotlight have suddenly and easily become our heroes. “We are thus witnessing a blurring of the difference between the hero and the celebrity, in which the heroic has become entertaining, and the ideal is reduced to fame and fortune” (Sanchez 59). Money often plays a role in the status of athletes. Their wealth allows them to have access to seemingly anything they want, thus elevating their status and pushing us to crown them as heroes.

This is not to say that athletes cannot be heroic. On the country many athletes are heroes, but we must be careful when making sweeping generalizations. While many athletes use their platform to make changes based on what they believe, others squander their wealth and only look to their own needs. The ones who realize that what they have been given is a gift and give back are the ones who could be considered heroic. They take the spotlight they have been given and shed light on issues they feel passionate about. Some have foundations, donate thousands of dollars, or volunteer their time, but even in spite of that, we must be careful before we claim that all athletes are heroic.

Part of the reason we so quickly group athletes into the category of heroes is because they are often people that kids look up to for inspiration. Because they are inspired, the athlete has their attention, and they quickly name them their “hero”. In light of this, Micheal Phelps, the greatest swimmer to ever live, acknowledges, “I think we overuse the word ‘hero’ a lot. Being a good athlete, a good actor or a good musician who happens to be in the public eye doesn’t make you a hero; it makes you someone who has achieved something in a very public world” (Phelps 115). Athletes are not all heroes despite the narrative that we are so often fed.

Other celebrities, such as musicians including Taylor Swift, Morgan Wallen, and Justin Bieber, attract our attention because of the grip they have on pop culture. Part of the reason we are so drawn to these “heroes” is because of our curiosity. Media has changed heroism so that we look up to people based on what they have rather than what they do (Sanchez 58-61). Yes, they have transformed the entertainment industry, but is that enough to be considered heroic? Have they saved lives and transformed cultures for the better? Some might argue yes, and here is where the line of heroic is often blurred. If they are considered heroes, how do we draw a line? How do we separate the ordinary from the extraordinary? When we take a deep look, what have they really done that grants them the title of hero? “We often look at celebrities to find out what our values should be, and when we do, we discover that those values are often very shallow” (Harper). Shallowness through meager curiosity is a line where the distinction between heroic and well known can be drawn, but few people have been willing to do so. We are dragged down by a culture that constantly pushes celebrities to be our heroes. The true difference is that “Celebrities attract our curiosity, while real heroes send us to the source of their vision and dreams” (Harper). Our curiosity is driven by our desire to know what it is like to be in the spotlight and our desire to know what it is like to have extra resources at our fingertips. Often celebrities attract our attention because we want to know what their lives are like. Real heroes inspire change in our lives as we think about who we want to be and what we want to do.

Consider the early morning of September 11, 2001. Some firefighters sat around playing cards. They laughed and traded stories of the night before. The smell of pancakes and bacon drifted from the kitchen, and they all gathered at the kitchen table passing the syrup around. Just after they sat down the bell rang, forks and knives were dropped. Napkins fluttered to the ground. The men and women rushed to the garage, threw on their equipment, and hopped into the trucks. Only when the sirens were turned on did they hear the details of their destination. Two planes had crashed into the Twin Towers. In their confusion they were silent as they contemplated their next moves. When they reached the towers, they were resolved to do everything in their power to help. “While thousands of trapped citizens raced down stairwells to escape the burning structures, hundreds of firefighters, police, and paramedics chose to climb up the stairs to offer assistance” (Wubbels). It was this action that cemented their legacy as selfless heroes. One poem written by an unknown author says,

They didn’t do it for the glory
They didn’t do it for the fame
They only did what they knew was right
They are heroes that have no name (Allison and Goethals, Heroes 118).

When those firefighters raced up the burning stairwells they were not hoping to be honored, they were hoping to save the trapped and helpless. This heroism they displayed looked for nothing in return. It was a heroism based in love. “Heroes who deserve [a] biography, autobiography, or memoir are people who may attract attention but direct that attention beyond themselves to something greater” (Harper). This is true heroism. It is not done under the guise of desired glory, but rather, sacrificial love. It is also the type of heroism that inspires those around us to help others and look to the needs of others above our own. This story represents the category of heroes that includes first responders. Often their actions are subtle, but when they go to work each day, they have the opportunity to change people’s lives and in so doing become their hero.

The final group that is often listed as heroic and has been throughout all of time is family. The people we are around on a daily basis shape and change the ideals we hold and believe. Often, they serve us by putting our needs before their own. They fight for us. They encourage us. They protect us. When we really dig deeper it could be said that they change our lives because of the immediate impact they can have on us.

Ancient heroes, Biblical heroes, heroes of the cinema, celebrities, first responders, and family. All of these groups have been or are considered heroic. But what about the teachers, the security guard, the pastor, the bagger at the grocery store, the waiter, do these people have an opportunity to be heroic? Should they be considered heroic? It seems that Superman is more influential than the person who sat with us patiently and taught us to read. All of the groups above have different characteristics that lead us to consider them as heroes. The interesting thing is that they all have different functions as heroes. The real question to consider is, despite their differences, should they all be considered heroic? This is something everyone must answer for themselves as they seek to admire heroes. We all might come to different conclusions on who we consider heroic, but it is what we do with those conclusions that dictates a hero’s usefulness.

In light of the fact that there are many different types of heroes, it must be considered that we as a society create heroes. Humanity holds a lot of power as it relates to who is considered heroic and who is not. This is because the people we exult, the people we give airtime, and the people we talk about are the people who others will start to notice. “…once Americans fall for a guy, we just can’t stop ourselves from going all in” (Rich). We become invested in heroes. We look for people we can call heroes. It is almost as if we need someone to look up to or someone to fill a void in our lives. “Nearly 75 years after the first Superman comic, he and his brethren are bigger than ever, the masters of all media, analog and digital. We are always waiting for Superman and quick to assume there’s a new one just around the corner. When one turns out to be a fake, we immediately start looking for the next” (Rich). We long for heroes, but they will never fully satisfy us, so we will just keep searching. We want heroes and this leads us to create heroes.

One example of this can be found in the turmoil of Germany a few years after World War I. In his rise to power, Adolf Hitler claimed to be the hero that Germany needed. He claimed that he could lead this group to where they wanted to go. He convinced the people around him that he had their best interests in mind. Multitudes of people followed his ideas and elevated him to the title of hero. The German people were in a place of desperation and to many in Germany at that time, he was a hero. But when we take a step back today, we know that Adolf Hitler’s actions were drastically short of heroic and that Adolf Hitler should never be considered a hero. Without the backing of many confused and desperate Germans, Hitler never would have been given so much power.

This example also shows another factor that cultivates heroes: pain and suffering. Pain and suffering breed heroism. During times of turmoil humanity looks for the strong people around them. They desire a hope to cling to. That was part of the reason that Hitler, and many others like him, were so quickly elevated to a position of heroic. They see the suffering around them and use it as an opportunity to gain support from hurting people. Without thinking, a culture blindly followed Hitler because of what he promised.

While pain and suffering can be a catalyst for terrible “heroes,” it can also forage heroes who are remembered for their heroic actions decades later. “Under the right circumstances…pain and suffering can serve as catalysts that awaken generous and heroic impulses within us” (Svoboda 77). Rosa Parks took an opportunity that arose from suffering to protest. This etched her name into a list of heroes from the time of the Civil Rights Movement.

Another part of creating heroes is our contribution to their success. An old proverb communicates the stark reality of our dependence on others. The proverb details a chain reaction that ends with the line, “The kingdom was lost for the want of a nail” (McRaven 101). How would that happen? “For the want of a nail, the shoe was lost. For the want of a shoe, the horse was lost. For want of a horse, the knight was lost. For want of the knight, the battle was lost. For want of a battle the kingdom was lost” (Hero Code 101). Admiral McRaven details the meaning, “There are many interpretations of this…it epitomizes doing your duty. If the blacksmith had done his duty and placed the nail in the horseshoe correctly, the kingdom would not have been lost” (McRaven 101). Heroes do not work alone, in fact even the people who have gone before them will have an indirect effect on their impact. Isaac Newton famously remarked, “‘If I have seen further it is only by standing on the shoulders of giants’” (Qtd. In Allison and Goethals, Heroes 177). Those giants are the people who have gone before us and the people helping us even now.

To truly understand heroes and to have a healthy relationship with them, humanity must understand the factors that create heroes. This means that we must admit that “Heroes are always the product of the human imagination. Real…life does not furnish completely formed heroes. In creating heroes, the individual and cultural imagination selects, heightens, shapes, and interprets the materials that life provides. A hero is always a distillation of something from actual life” (Ryken 108). Yes, the actions of people may make them a hero, but other than that, it is hard to make oneself a hero. Society must come alongside a person and proclaim their actions to be heroic. Often heroes are created by cultures and societies to show characteristics of who that group of people is. This can easily be seen by how the ancient Greeks called the strong and mighty men of war heroic. In light of that, this person became an idealized version of that group. This designation can be misleading, and it can also be so commonly accepted that no one steps back to question if indeed a person’s actions are truly heroic.

The last thing that humanity must grapple with as they consider heroes is their limitations. For humans, sin is inevitable. From the beginning of time, we see that God uses broken vessels to advance his kingdom (The Gospel Coalition, “How Russell Moore Processes”). We can easily become discouraged when we see the people that we once looked up to fall into sinful patterns (The Gospel Coalition, “How Thabiti Anyabwile Processes”). Part of that is because we have unrealistic expectations. “…[W]e conveniently overlook the obvious fact that all human heroes are inevitably as human as they are heroic…” (Allison and Goethals, “Do We Expect”). Heroes are humanly heroic, meaning that they, just like the rest of society, are subject to the human condition. To be human is to be flawed. To be human is to experience pain and suffering. Heroes are just as human as anyone else. Our desire, though, should be to be used through our flawed nature. God’s grace does great things with broken humans (The Gospel Coalition, “How Thabiti Anyabwile Processes”). And while we may weep at the brokenness of man, we can at the same time rejoice in the goodness of God shown through his grace (The Gospel Coalition, “How Thabiti Anyabwile Processes”).

Since we know to expect the failures of heroes, “…why do we seem to punish heroes more for their human foibles than we do non-heroes?” (Allison and Goethals, “Do We Expect”). All of this is a result of the expectations we have set. We painted a picture long ago using the ancient Greek heroes, of a perfect figure. Then that idea was reinforced by superheroes, who often can do no wrong, but that figure does not exist. Unfortunately, we want to think it does. In fact, we trick ourselves into thinking heroes are perfect. We begin to worship them and put them on a pedestal in our hearts. As soon as we do that, they inevitably make a mistake and therefore damage our trust. But really that’s our fault because human heroes were not meant to carry the weight of our expectations. Yes, their failures and flaws should be considered, but they should also be expected.

To demonstrate, in 1743, in the southern state of Virginia, a man was born. He grew up in a family that owned land and slaves. He was well-educated and took his studies very seriously. Eventually, he began practicing law and became involved in politics. He entered the political stage as the American colonies were beginning to resent the power of Britain over them. He was given a platform by being delegated to Second Continental Congress, but his shy demeanor prevented him from speaking much, so he picked up a pen. With that pen he wrote, “We hold these truths to be self-evident; that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness…” Thomas Jefferson wrote one of the most iconic sentences centered on liberty in the Declaration of Independence. His name has gone down in history as a liberator to a nation, a hero who fought with his words. Later in his life, he published a book, Notes on the State of Virginia, which claimed that slavery violated the ideals of the American Revolution. Seems like a good guy, right? Would you be surprised to hear that during his life Jefferson owned over six hundred slaves? It has even recently been confirmed that he had an extramarital affair with one of his slaves resulting in at least one if not more children (Ellis).

Thomas Jefferson is an American hero, but as you dig deeper it almost seems that all we can then see is his faults. Was Jefferson morally wrong for owning slaves? Yes. Was Jefferson an instrumental part in the writing of one of the most iconic documents in American history? Yes. So how do we grapple with the two different parts of this man? Is he allowed to be a hero, while at the same time owning slaves?

To put things into perspective let’s consider another American hero who fought against discrimination. This man was well spoken and sought liberty for all. He was a preacher with a voice that would transform the world when he said, “I have a dream.” But after his death it is rumored that he had an affair with woman other than his wife (Eblen). Does that change what he did for this nation? Can he still be a hero?

Finally, looking to the Bible, we can see a clear description of how sinful heroes are to be handled. This man was an unlikely king who rose to power and served the Lord. In fact, he was “…a man after [God’s own] heart…” (English Standard Version, Acts 13:22). He is continually praised for his actions that pleased the Lord, yet some of his mistakes are very clearly documented in the Bible; The most remembered: the story of Bathsheba. This story will turn anyone’s mouth sour as they consider the effort David went to after having an affair with a woman he had seen bathing. And yet, even through the sinfulness of David, we see the redemptive forgiveness of Jesus Christ. David’s story points to the ultimate hero in the person and work of Jesus Christ. It is more prudent for us to dwell on God’s gracious choice to use David (Vroegop). While his sin does remind us of his humanness, it does not change the fact that he is one of the most praised characters in the Bible. Some might consider him a Biblical hero. We consider his flaws, but based on what is communicated in the Bible, his flaws do not detract from his status as an example of great faith.

With these three examples in mind, we are able to contemplate the decisions of those we would often consider heroic. This proves that we should not overlook the sins of heroes, but rather we should consider them. We often do not dig deep enough to see the actual human beneath the disguise of a hero. This is entirely our fault because the failures and sins of our heroes should be expected. There is potential that these sins can be viewed outside of their heroic actions. Thomas Jefferson can still be the man who penned the words to free America. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. can still be credited as a key figure in the Civil Rights Movement. David can still be an excellent example of pursuing the Lord. On top of all the great accomplishments, we can still see their humanity.

We often unknowingly attribute perfection to heroism. “Perfection is not a prerequisite for heroism” (Dunn 29). When Christians call a person a hero, they need to also be able to acknowledge that the person they are referring to is flawed. In the ancient times, heroism was sometimes attributed to the gods, a standard that would never be achieved. The heroes they admired were perfect in their imagination, but their heroes were not real. Nowadays we take the same expectations of heroes from centuries ago and apply them to the flawed humans of our time. Our main problem is not their weakness but rather their morality. So, we are attracted to the struggle that makes them heroic, but once they become heroic in our eyes, we do not see them as human, and we, as Christians, are shocked when heroes fall into public sin. We have painted such an idealistic version of them in our heads that we become confused when they begin to show evidence of failure.

Heroes are extraordinary, and we as a society often set them apart for their actions, but that does not free them from the human condition. “…[T]he hero arises from the real world, subject to the human condition, yet simultaneously stands in the realm of the extraordinary” (Lillicrap). God even used flawed men to write scripture. Moses wrote five books of the Old Testament, yet he did not see the promised land because of his sin (The Gospel Coalition, “How John Piper Processes”). Bible characters show us our limitations (Yee). For as long as heroes live, no matter how heroic they are, they will be just as human. This is where the confusion arises. Somewhere in our heads we made ourselves believe that heroes were perfect in their actions. We leave no room for their flaws. This is not only damaging to those we consider heroic, but also to ourselves. It sets our expectations in an unrealistic place, damaging our own trust and security.

As a result of this almost picture-perfect human, society can suddenly and easily be plunged into idolatry. They worship the hero for what they have done, giving their actions more gravity than they deserve. This is where heroism becomes a problem, when the hero becomes an idol. This should be a red warning flag to all Christians. The pit of idolatry is deep and so are the wounds it can create. Trusting in something or someone who is created will only lead to disappointment, because when they inevitably fail, the thing we centered our lives on will be stripped away from us. Idolatry can shake us to our core because it gives a delusion of stability that is really a house of cards. An idol is, “an object of extreme devotion” (“idol”). John Piper addresses idolatry by saying, “…[It is] anything that we come to rely on for some blessing or help or guidance in the place of a wholehearted reliance on the true and living God” (“What Is an Idol”). This is what many heroes become, and often it is not even their fault.

Sure, Superman flies over buildings rescuing those in trouble, but he has a kryptonite. Thomas Jefferson penned the words of the Declaration of Independence, but he owned slaves. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. gave a speech that changed the world, but he could not fully bring peace to a nation that is divided. Abraham Lincoln led the country through the Civil War, but he could not stop the dark days of segregation ahead. Paul wrote from prison in chains, but he could not free himself. Captain America uses his shield to uphold justice, but he is subject to pain. George Washington was the first president of the United States, but even he knew that he had a limit of power. Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to a wooden door, but alone he could not change the hearts and minds of those around him. Harry S. Truman helped end WWII, but his decision killed many innocent lives. Achilles chose to die in glory, but he thoughtlessly dragged another human through the dirt. Caitlin Clark changed the game of basketball, but she still misses free throws. Kennedy got America to space, but he was shot by an assassin’s bullet. William Tyndale helped translate the Bible, but his own actions could save no one. Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat, but she was still arrested. Mother Teresa cared for the poor, but she could only help so much. Tom Brady won countless Lombardi Trophies, but he has still seen defeat. Iron man uses his genius to create gadgets to protect citizens, but his personal life is a mess. Thomas Edison invented the light bulb, but it took him over one hundred tries. Taylor Swift is a cultural phenomenon, but her music has questionable themes. Lebron James is the king of basketball, but he still gets hurt. Jackie Robinson overcame racial discrimination, but his actions did not bring about immediate transformation. Henry Ford changed automobiles, but his life was not perfect. Michael Phelps is the best swimmer ever, but even he knows that celebrity status does not equal heroic status. Odysseus returned home after great turmoil, but his trip was full of temptations (“100 People”). None of these heroes are perfect.

As a result of heroes’ sinful nature, we must listen to them in three different ways. Honestly. Humbly. Happily. By listening honestly, we allow ourselves to wrestle with the beautiful and the ugly. This helps us remember that “the best of men are men at best.” Humbly listening means we are honest about the sins of others while also remembering that “Our gospel is big enough to cover the sins of our forebears.” Finally, we can listen happily because we know that through heroes we can be pointed to the ultimate hero of Jesus Christ (The Gospel Coalition, “Leaning From Morally Flawed”). By carefully evaluating, “…[W]e can receive inspiration, wisdom, and empowerment from those who have gone before us” (Maxwell xii).

So, if heroes are not meant to be perfect, what is the true function of a hero? Heroes inspire (Ryken 109). Heroes show and demonstrate what a culture values (Ryken 109). And finally, heroes “[R]econcil[e] us to human failings and limitations” (Ryken 109). That last one is so very important to grasp. Instead of letting sin surprise us, we can let it remind us of our human nature and our dependence on a heroic savior, who takes the definition of heroism to the next level.

But why do we long for heroes? Why deep down do we seek someone to admire? Why do we flip endlessly through comic books of superhumans conquering evil? Why is the title of a hero so important in this society and is there really any true hero?

We are going to experience times of trouble. We are going to have adversaries too strong for us. We are going to have fears that seem all consuming. We are going to fall into temptation. “The reality of the Christian experience is that God often writes the stories of our lives with problems we can’t solve, so that he alone receives the glory for saving us” (Yee). The reason we all long for a hero is because we need a hero. We need to be saved from ourselves (Yee). We look for heroes that will never disappoint us. We look for heroes that will love us unconditionally. We look for heroes that can save us for ourselves. There is only one hero that can do any of those things. Jesus is the ultimate hero. He meets us where we are in our pain, shame, and sin and seeks to give us true satisfaction in him. As Paul writes, “…[M]y God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (ESV, Philippians 4:19).

Because of the fall, our sin separates us from God leaving us with no hope. We can do nothing to save ourselves, but God in his mercy for us sent his son to this earth to live a perfect life, die, and rise again to conquer sin and death. When we really understand how detrimental our sin condition is, it is then that we will more clearly see the heroic action of God sending his son Jesus to die for us.

Jesus is the perfect hero who is everything we need. He satisfies our longings and is the greatest hero we could ever ask for. Jesus is our hero when we are in trouble. Psalm 50:15 says, “…[C]all upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me” (ESV, Psalm 50:15). He is our hero against our enemies, protecting us from those who we cannot fight against on our own. He sees us and sees our often-helpless nature. “All my bones shall say, ‘O LORD, who is like you, delivering the poor from him who is too strong for him, the poor and needy from him who robs him?’” (ESV, Psalm 35:10). He is the hero that delivers us from our fears. “[F]ear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (ESV, Isaiah 41:10). He is the hero that helps us fight our temptations. 1 Corinthians 10:13 proclaims, “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it” (ESV, 1 Corinthians 10:13) He does all these things and more for us because He loves us in a way that we cannot comprehend (Yee).

The standard of heroism that Christ sets is unattainable, so how can other, finite humans become heroic? Is it even possible? “In Christ, the ordinary is drawn into the heroic, both subverting and fulfilling the human fascination. Our heroic dreams are shattered by the unattainable vision of what the morally heroic represents in Christ, yet granted a Spirit-enabled transparency to Christ as believers become like him, to his glory” (Lillicrap). While our sin leaves us unable to save ourselves, it does not leave us in a place where we cannot help others. “…[A]lthough we may instinctively focus on the hero themselves, the Christian hero points beyond themselves to Christ” (Lillicrap). If used correctly, heroism can point us directly to our Creator. “Yes, we are to look to figures who have gone before, even those who live around us, and emulate them. Yet it is not their deeds we imitate. Rather, there is one standing behind, both inspiring and enabling their heroism” (Lillicrap).

The term hero has changed over the years, leading to confusion of what a hero actually is. There is no one size fits all for heroes. That is a fact we must accept. Heroes are created by the society around them, not necessarily born. The society that surrounds a hero has a great influence on if that person’s actions are considered heroic. But maybe the most important thing that leads to heroism is our deep desire for a hero. We know that something is wrong with the world, and we want it to be fixed. We need a hero, and his name is Jesus Christ. But what about the other people who have set themselves apart? They have gained the title of hero. How should we interact with them? “Before we can emulate heroes, we must properly identify them, we must understand who and what they are…. And what they are not” (Bernstein 8). We must be consciously aware of people’s sins and watch for its effect in the words and actions of those we look up to (The Gospel Coalition, “How John Piper Processes).

The first thing we have to understand about humans is that each and every one of them is subject to the human condition of sin. In the end it is not possible for us to be the hero of our own story. We cannot save ourselves, from ourselves (Yee). No one is above it, not even heroes. The first wrong step we take with heroes is putting them above their sinful condition ignoring the fact that they are human. Nothing we can do on our own will relieve ourselves of our condition. Our sin equals death, and nothing we can do will change that. Deep down we try to fill the gap in our lives by being our own hero or looking up to another hero, but neither will fully satisfy our longing.

“The definition of hero remains subjective, what is extraordinary can be debated. Courage is in the eye of the beholder. Greatness of soul is elusive” (Gibbon 5). Superman, Thomas Jefferson, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Abraham Lincoln, Paul, Captain America, George Washington, Martin Luther, Harry S. Truman, Achilles, Caitlin Clark, Kennedy, William Tyndale, Rosa Parks, Mother Teresa, Tom Brady, Thomas Edison, Taylor Swift, Lebron James, Jackie Robinson, Henry Ford, Michael Phelps, and Odysseus (“100 People”). All of these people could be or have been considered heroes. The problem with them is that they are either subject to the human condition like you and me or they are made up. Regardless, their lives, while heroic, force us to carefully walk a tightrope over a pit called idolatry. Our admiration of heroes can quickly turn to idolatry whether we like it or not. If we are not prepared to evaluate heroes carefully, we will honor them more than they should be. We will quickly place them on a pedestal. Let us just be careful that we do not place them on a pedestal in our heart. Because there is only one hero who deserves that, and his name is Jesus Christ. We must be careful with how we interact with any other hero. Walking the tightrope above the pit of idolatry requires an understanding and awareness of the human condition. Are you trained to walk the tightrope? If not, get down!

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