Are you tired of hearing about another mega sports celebrity’ misdeeds and indiscretions? (those are the gentle ways of putting it!) Every time I turn on SportsCenter now to check on scores or see some highlights, I get bombarded with another story about an athlete mixed up in some sort of sleezy scandal. By now, everybody knows about the exploits of Michael Vick, Kobe Bryant, Tiger Woods, Ben Roethlisberger, Santana Moss, etc. (these are just a small sample)Unfortunately, it’s become a regular occurrence to hear about some of our favorite players in trouble with the law, in trouble with their families, or in trouble with their organization. It makes me wonder why we support them so passionately!
We think someone is deserving of recognition and honor just because of how good they are at playing something. They may be great at playing ball, like football, basketball, baseball, etc. They may excel in playing the guitar, playing the drums, or playing some other cool musical instrument. They may be sensational at playing different characters in movies or TV. By the way, do you notice that the ones we tend to have the most admiration for are the ones that “play” for a living? (this could be the subject of a future blog post) Some of our idols may have a knack for playing to the crowd, like many of the political leaders and business leaders of our day. Because of their ability to influence, they can do so much damage when they make mistakes.
The truth is that we are all sinners and in need of God’s grace. I know that in the flesh I’m not above the things that they’re capable of. But as a believer in Christ, the Spirit that is in me empowers me to “walk worthy of the calling” as it says in Eph. 4:1. And we ought to hold each other accountable, exhorting and encouraging each other to live for the Lord in all areas of life. I do recognize that most of these athletes are unbelievers and we should probably expect them to live like unbelievers. However, that doesn’t mean we have to idolize them and compromise our convictions by holding them up as “role models” for our youth.
This goes for all of our celebrities of the media as well, including movie stars, politicians, musicians and other entertainers, and religious leaders. That’s right, religious leaders! In our overly saturated culture of Christianity, we have elevated certain religious leaders to guru status only to see them fall from those pedestals time and again. Before too long, every celebrity fails as the rest of us humans do. So, where are all the heroes?
In one sense, we can say that we’re looking too far to find a hero. For those of us who were raised in a nurturing home, we should be able to consider our parents as “role models,” at least in limited ways. But we often look beyond the consistent, dependable, and ordinary influences of those that are closest to us, in favor of the illustrious and celebrated icons of the media. Although I’ve done the same thing at times and in various ways, I often wonder about the logic of that tendency. We neglect the wisdom of those who have invested the most time and energy upon us and instead we admire those that couldn’t care less! Who is going to teach us to throw the ball anyway, the athletic superstar that has no interest in us or the dad that God gave us? For that matter, who will teach us to walk and talk, and how to take care of things like personal hygiene, or all the other circumstances of life? We should thank God for the homes and the resources we have in our parents as a blessing of His common grace.
Beyond this, we can read about some remarkable heroes in books about church and missionary history. There have been many faithful men and women that have given their lives for Jesus Christ, and for the people that they served. Why can’t we appreciate those kind of people more, the kind of people that live lives of integrity and have tremendous devotion and dedication to a worthy cause. Where are all the men and women of our generation that are willing to give everything, not for personal fame or wealth, but for the sake of God’s glory?
However, in a more profound sense, we’re not looking far enough to find a hero. In other words, we’re looking for one of this world when our search should concern itself with one who is not of this world. The only one that will ever fill the bill perfectly as a hero is Jesus Christ! I realize that he didn’t become famous for playing ball, or playing the guitar, or playing a part in the movies. But He has commanded the respect of the world for centuries! And, more importantly, He has most perfectly pleased His Father and completely fulfilled His purpose in the world. Also, as One who has experienced our world in human flesh, He can relate to all of our feelings and frustrations in this life. He is a hero of epic proportions. He is the greatest hero that ever lived.
But, more than that, He is an accessible hero. Although we’re not very likely ever to get a private meeting with one of our sports or entertainment heroes, we can have a vital, personal relationship with the Son of God! We have the right to have quality and quantity time with the Savior of the world. He’s ready at a moment’s notice to meet with us in prayer, no matter where we are and no matter what the time. He’s always prepared to speak to us through the Word, under any circumstances. As a matter of fact, the Bible says that if we are united with Christ as believers, we have been adopted into His family, becoming sons of God. (with Christ as our Elder Brother) It doesn’t get any better than that!
So, in our quest for heroes, there is only one that we can find. Jesus Christ is the hero that we can and should emulate. Instead of looking for role models from the sports and entertainment industry, or from the political or business world, simply follow Jesus instead. He is the hero of all time.