Nurturing
There seemed to be no hope and then amidst the shadows, a solitary hero emerged.
And what did that one human do? Well, in the movie probably more than humanly possible.
Most heroes in film are so unbelievably awesome that we can’t help but be captivated by everything they do! The best heroes usually possess something we desperately want. Some are flawless and can do no wrong. They seem to block every punch and have a clever and witty response to everything the bad guy says, or they are so tough that they can take hit after hit and still push on to rescue the damsel from her captor or save the small town from certain doom.
The only problem is that it is most unrealistic. One lone hero going it alone and reigning victorious against all odds. Has it happened in real life? Sure. Is that typical No. No it is not!
We look up to heroes in movies because they can do no wrong and always get it right. If you are like me, I let my friends and family down. A lot! I am not the hero they are looking for. I will do my best to play my part in an adventure, but I do not possess the unwavering skill set that Liam Neeson possesses in (insert action movie here), I am reliably unreliable in that way. I would probably be more of a hinderance than I would be a help in an action film setting.
Should we be like the lone hero?
It would be great, but realistically we need help. We commoners need help! And honestly, we need friends and need to be a friend.
Proverbs 17:17 – “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.”
While we have our heroes in movies, we can be “heroes” in real life and not in the same way. Often it means that we show up and help move the couch when our friend sends out that last minute text.
The closest superhero in a movie I can think of off hand that is kind of close to real life is Batman. Ok, I hear you, not real life to have a multibillionaire who runs around the city at night wearing a cape responding to bright lights in the sky, but rather a person who teams up with another person to make a difference.
Robin, I’m talking about Robin. Not a great analogy I know but it is what I could come up with right now.
But they have each other’s backs. Against the odds they put their identity protecting capes on their shoulders and fight the bad guys until the job is done. The real-life part that they portray is that two is better than one. Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 says “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.”
Find a friend. Be a friend. Wear a cape?
Ok, maybe just those first two.
You can help your friend when (not if) they fall, and your friend can help you when (not if) you fall.
Find a friend.
Be a friend.
- Who would you consider your “Robin” right now? Write their name down and list the reasons why.
- Do you have trouble asking others for help?
