It Doesn't Take A Hero! I remember as a kid growing up reading comic books: do you? Most people born before 1960 grew up reading comic books; they are American as mom’s apple pie. How many of these early comics can you remember? Little Nemo in Slumberland, Mutt & Jeff, Popeye, Krazy Kat, , Dick Tracy, Tarzan, Prince Valiant, Pogo, and Little Orphan Annie. During the 1930-40s as the world grew darker and plunged into war along came the heroes--Flash Gordon, the Phantom, Captain One plot line I remember from one specific comic was: are heroes born or made? A similar question is, does one chose to be a hero or is a hero made by the moment? Additionally what constitutes a hero?
Thousands of years ago humanity faced a treacherous enemy. Ironically this enemy wasn’t introduced as an adversary but indeed he was. God introduces this enemy to us as a serpent—a In the story of the “Fall” Satan (as the “serpent”) is a major player. Because of his deception God curses him above every creature on the earth and God promises his eventual destruction (Gen. 3:1-15). Satan was present as the Last Supper began and enters Judas after Jesus exposes Judas as the betrayer (Lu 22:3, John 13:27). It is worth noting that in the final hours of Jesus’ life Satan is conspicuously absent; there is no mention of Satan in the Garden of Gethsemane, at the arrest, the trial, his scourging, and the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. His absence indicates that Satan doesn’t have a major role in the crucifixion (neither does Pilate or King Herod). In the Gospel record God does not give Satan much “screen time.” However, one could assume that he was on the sidelines cheering on the cast: the Sanhedrin, Pilate, and Herod, the crowd, Judas, and such. Why is Satan so noticeably absent from the trial and crucifixion? The answer lies in Jesus’ words to his followers: Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father (John 10:17-18). Notice Jesus uses the word “I” six times in these two verses. Put another way Jesus says: I CHOOSE THE TIME, PLACE, AND MANNER, TO GIVE UP MY LIFE FOR MY SHEEP, AND TO RISE FROM THE DEAD. THEREFORE BECAUSE I DO THIS OF MY OWN CHOOSING AND FREE WILL—NOT BY FORCE—MY FATHER LOVES ME. In the Garden Jesus wasn’t giving God his wish list in prayer. He was wrestling with the greatest enemy humans ever face: “flesh.” It was the “flesh” that Jesus had to bring under submission and subjection to God. Jesus had faced Satan and his crafty ways once before (in the wilderness long before the cross) and defeated him—and the flesh (Mt. 4). For this reason he was acutely aware of the “wiles” of the devil. Jesus knew it is the shield of faith and the sword of the Spirit—the Word of God—which defeats Satan (Eph 6:16-17). Satan is our adversary but not our only enemy; our own carnality, sinful flesh and lust is our #1 enemy to the soul (1Jo 2:16, Eph 2:3, 1Pe 2:11). However, in Jesus’ case it wasn’t his sin but ours he took to his cross (2Co 5:21, Ro. 8:3, Col 2:14). The good news is Paul encourages us to walk in the Spirit and we will not fulfill the lust of the flesh. Satan understands how wavering we (humans) are when…Satan answered the LORD, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life (Job 2:4). Case in point: when Jesus was arrested in the Garden his disciples fled. If there ever was a person born that knew why he was here it was Jesus the Christ. Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour…Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice (John 12:27, 18:37). Jesus knew his reason for being! We celebrate heroes by awarding them medals, memorials, and so forth. Ironically most heroes do not consider themselves as such and usually say something like:” I’m no hero. I did what I had to do.” When speaking of their heroics they use words like duty, responsibility, love, concern, and if I didn’t do something, people were going to die! Oftentimes heroes had a sure way out of harms way for themselves. They could have easily escaped out of harms way. But they chose to expose themselves to the r I believe that everyone that chooses to go into harms way—whether they are injured or not—is a hero. But as the saying goes: there are heroes and there are heroes. Sadly, many heroes don’t survive their trial by fire. They don’t return home and they don’t hear or receive the adulation and praise of grateful people. Perhaps you know and have a few heroes of your own. This Easter Sunday let us celebrate the greatest hero humanity has ever know. His act of bravery goes beyond any exploit performed by the imaginary super hero of the comic book. His sacrifice exceeds that of the soldier giving his life for his “buddy” on the field of battle. What medal or honor could we bestow upon the one who gave of himself beyond the call of duty? Words cannot adequately
—God’s Peace and Blessing, Please take a moment to send us feedback about this article. © 2007 Curtis W. Bond All rights reserved
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| posted 03/01/2007 |
Marvel, Captain America, Sgt. Rock, the Shadow, the Fantastic Four, Batman, Spiderman, and the man-of-steel-Superman. Also many of these comic book characters were heard on the radio and some seen on television, and a few appeared on the silver screen. What do most of these characters have in common? They were heroes. Each issue the plot usually was the same: a villain did something despicable and threatened the safety and well being of a city or sometimes the entire world; the hero would battle the villain: the villain at first appeared to get the “drop” on the hero and it looked “bad” for the hero. But because the hero was the “good guy” battling evil, good always triumphed over evil and the villain was ultimately defeated. 
General H. "Stormin’ Norman” Swartzkopf (the General who led the coalition troops during the first Gulf-Iraqi war) subtlety answers the question in his book: It Doesn’t Take a Hero. Schwarzkopf describes himself as a man with a sharp sense of duty, competent, does not allow his ego to cloud his judgment, does not waver under pressure from politicians, stays true to his vision, and does not overstate Central Command’s abilities in the run-up to the first gulf war. Iraq had invaded and occupied Kuwait and Saddam was threatening Saudi Arabia and his neighbors; therefore Swartzkopf was under tremendous political pressure to quickly mount an offensive attack to drive Iraq out of Kuwait. Swartzkopf devised a battle plan and insisted—as commander—that the time and place to attack Iraq was when sufficient forces were in place to ensure victory. Anything short of following this plan would be inviting disaster and defeat. 
shrewd, crafty, sly beast of the field. Eventually he would reveal his true character—Satan—but in this first encounter with humans his identity was shrouded. The apostle Peter had firsthand knowledge of the serpent’s painful bite; you may recall that Jesus rebuked Peter shortly before his crucifixion and forewarned him that Satan was lurking about trying to “sift him like wheat” (Lu 22:31, Mt 16:23). Long after Jesus’ ascension Peter wrote…be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour (1Pe 5:8). Obviously Peter still remembered the painful bite of Satan when he denied the Lord. 
isk of injury or death for the sake of their friends. What does Christ say of this? Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends (John 15:13). 
describe the gratitude which many of us feel toward our hero: Jesus the Christ, the Son of God. God gives us a foretaste of how HE views Jesus’ act of unselfish heroism when Paul wrote…Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Php 2:9-11). 