Why Boys Want to Be Heroes and Men Want to Watch Heroes

In the beginning, after the fall, there began the war between the two lines - the seed of the serpent and the seed of the woman. The serpent desires his own name glorified, and he is willing to stop at nothing to have his purpose fulfilled. The seed of the woman calls upon the name of the Lord and humbly acts as an agent to bring God's ultimate purposes about on earth. The climax of almost every story in history is experienced when the seed of the serpent seems to win the day. The threat of evil ultimately triumphing brings each and every one of us anxiously to the edge of our seat. We long for good to prevail.

Many authors and screen writers pick up on this and build their plot around it. From Jerry and Tom, James J. Braddock and Corn Griffin (from Cinderella Man), He-Man and Skelator (I just went way back!), to Batman and the Joker; billions are spent depicting the murderous intent (a.k.a. enmity; cf. Gen 3:15) between the two sides, in order that we might see and experience, on a screen or in a book, the war that really lies within our own hearts. We so deeply desire the victory in our own lives that we will spend time and resources to see it in someone else's (fiction or non).

This is also why almost every young boy wants to be a policeman. This is why my son loves super heroes. They always win the day over evil. They are strong, saving, and heroic. They give assurance to us that good will win.

Somewhere along the temporal line, however, boys cease desiring to be the good guy and resort to watching the good guy. Somewhere in our lives we sink from wanting to fight against evil to purchasing movies about another fighting against evil. In our youth we want to be good, but in our adulthood we are just fine watching someone else be good. Why is this?

After considering it for a few days, I have a few thoughts concerning the matter.

One reason is that boys are not weighed down with worldly worries and responsibilities. They are so sure of their provision that they can focus on providing for others. They are so comforted in their father's protection, they can focus on protecting others. With all their needs taken care of, they can focus on taking care of the needs of others.

Another reason is that too many boys are going unprotected and uncorrected. The image of God in all of us desires good to win. But being born into sin that image is marred. If left without godly nurture and admonition, sin degrades from bad to worse. A boy who once loved He-Man soon sides with Skelator. He takes down his posters of Batman and replaces them with posters of the Joker. His deep desire for good, is debased into a deep love for evil. A boy who once amused us, becomes a man who lives to abuse us. He's not funny anymore - except maybe to himself.

A lot of it begins in the home. When fathers distrust the provision of their heavenly father, they simply don't have time to be the hero. Too worried about saving their own lives, they lose them. And a lost life always drags others down with it. A father obsessed with his own ultimate needs, denies the protection and provision of the Lord who has repeatedly shown himself sufficient for the task. Too many fathers today are too stressed to see the sparrow.

Consequently, too many fathers are teaching their sons to be obsessed with self - their own desires, wants, dreams, and even morals. Others are nothing more than expendable hindrances who get in our way as we make a name for ourselves.

In these cases the serpent has done his job. He began at an early age. He sunk his fangs in ever so slowly. But his time is short. His fatal wound, prophesied long ago (Gen3:15) and secured at Calvary, is now on the redemptive horizon. Our good Hero will come with a shout, and his white robes will be dipped in the blood of his enemies as he treads them in the winepress of God's wrath (Rev19:13). This is the true story of Christ. This is the great story of our good Lord.

My Initial Thoughts Concerning the Colorado Massacre

I read articles Saturday concerning the Colorado Massacre. I looked at the pictures of family members who were ripped apart by one man's actions. Then I looked at the portrait of that man, the smirk on his face, particular facial features, and I recognized a strange feeling in my stomach. Well, no, it was deeper than my stomach. In the english language we use phrases like, "in the depth of my being." Something changed there as my inner condition went from ok to not-ok.

The point of this post is not ethical, but metaphysical. I am simply desiring to put my emotions down as they are (metaphysical), without really addressing whether they are wrong or right (ethical). As an image bearer, I cannot help but feel something; and, as a pastor, I cannot help but express what I am feeling.

At first I felt (and still feel) an intense hatred and anger. The intensity only grew as I looked at the agony of family members along side the smirk of the murderer. My heart immediately cried out for vindication. I found some comfort in the promises of God to vindicate all wrong doing. But there was something inside of me that wanted more. I wanted to see it. I wanted him to suffer here and suffer soon. And I began to think of ways that he may feel pain for what he did - like when he gets to prison and is subject to the general population who will pummel him. My heart imagined the scenario and lingered there to find peace. The peace never came.

Then, my father side came to the front of my mind. What if one of my children were in the theater. What if I was that father in the picture. I quickly began thinking of ways to fully protect my family. As I considered the impossibility of the task, I sunk into despair. And then I remembered the Lord's faithfulness, his protection, and his home that he is building for us in glory. Should my children die in an incident like this, I would have nothing but Christ to cling to - my Judge, my King, my Sovereign. I cannot even imagine the pain, the hopelessness, and the suffering. Not only are lives gone, but the lives that remain are changed forever. They will ever be marked in this life by this incident.

In my comforted times, I desire a long life. But in times like this, I find a certain refuge in that this life is but a breath.

My emotions were soon brought into check by my theological commitments. Was what I was feeling right? Should I hate this man? Should I be angry? I felt like it was more right to want him damned to hell than saved unto glory. I felt like I was completely disregarding the suffering of the victim's loved ones by even considering the fact that this individual was "savable." I know that hatred in my heart is the equivalent to murder; but this is different. People are dead. Funerals are being planned. Yes, all sin is heinous before God; but not all sins are equally so (WSC 83).

This man's actions were not only murderous towards people, but they were murderous towards God. To murder an image bearer is to desire the Image gone - this man wanted God dead. And I found some comfort in that the Lord hates the wicked and the one who loves violence (Psa. 11:5); and, that he will destroy all who attempt to suppress him with murderous intent. I find comfort in that the Lord's feelings toward this event are more true, intense, faithful, just and right than mine will ever be. He is completely free to treat him with the upmost severity as well as look upon him in the most miraculous mercy.

My heart goes out to the families of all who are involved. My prayers are with them as well. As we are all reminded of the depth of man's fall, I pray also we would throw ourselves upon the Lord's throne of mercy and grace during this time of great need.

The Lord of Patience - Enjoy

This is the song that my alarm clock plays every morning. It never gets old. He is truly the Lord of patience.

My Most Recommended Book of the Year (So Far)

In my mind, I categorize books by shapes and colors. Systematic theologies are square, black and white books. They are ridged and inflexible. Practical or pastoral books are round and green. They are fluid and add more immediate growth. Fictional books are many shapes and sizes; their colors are similarly just as changing. 

But there are also books that are in a category of their own - fictional or non. These books, while they may be strictly categorized by genre, make up their own genre. These books are razor sharp and are crimson in color. They are gospel-centered and change us every time we turn a page. They are fearless, with little regard for the superficial desires of their audience. And they are by nature ultimately rooted in the service of their Savior King. 

There is one book I have read this year that fits into this category. It is Love Walked Among Us by Paul Miller. I highly recommend this book; and am just a few steps away from pastorally burdening your conscience with guilt and shame should you not read it within the next month! (Note: that's a joke)

My Water Fountain: A Word Concerning Segregation

How does a people group get over this? Do laws wipe away the pain, degradation and imposed inferiority away? Does time heal the wounds? Are parents and grandparents who had to drink from different fountains, who had to use different bathrooms, who were pointed to the back of the bus, and who were, in every sphere of social culture, reminded of their inferiority, able to suppress the natural reflexes of oppression so that their children don't see - so that their children aren't affected?

There are people we see every day who were taught from an early age that they are less than human. The above is just one example of a globe filled, from all ages, with image bearers who live and have lived to suppress that image in others. This type of degradation is not typical for must of us. Therefore, we are very sensitive to any hint of it in our own lives. But imagine if it was the norm - the acceptable way of life.

This post is an encouragement and admonition for us to recognize that people are more than mere actions. Our good works and our bad ones are so much more than superficial movements of the body. If we look at others with this mindset we reduce them to matter in time and space. And when we allow what people do to eclipse who people are we neglect their significance, dignity and intrinsic worth as brothers and sisters created in the image of God.

When I drive through the neighborhood I love so much and see a young man who is unemployed, with a criminal record, and who apparently has no belt, I must resist with all of my might the desire to make him less-than-me. I must resist my deep desire to see only his apparent irresponsibility. I must fight to see his history, family, culture and his heart. He was created like me. He was born into this world a sinner like me. He may do really stupid things...like me. And he really needs a Savior, like me.

I must damn segregation to hell where it belongs. And, I must die to myself and invite him to the Water Fountain who has so graciously quenched my thirst (John 4).

There is No "Normal Life."

I am a man in my thirties. For some reason, I believe all men, after reaching this season of life begin to love tools. We are fixers, and we are always ready to make something unbroken. My children often praise me as the one who can fix anything from Spiderman's leg to Barbie's arm. The irony here is that I have a honey-do list hovering over my head right now. I have a ton of things to fix in my house. I cannot wait for the day when I have made all the repairs so that I can be done.

Unfortunately, I think many of us have this mentality when it comes to people. Whether a pastor, care giver, parent or friend, we want people in our lives repaired so that we can be done. Damaged people have a tendency to be very dependent. They call a lot. They need a lot. They force us to consider them when making our own plans. They even demand that we give up our own resources, agendas, and schedules. The faster they are fixed, they faster we can get back to our "normal life."

The only problem with this is that people don't get fixed. As soon as a wound (whether spiritual or physical) is closed, another one opens. How many times have I seen deliverance in one area only to be shown a much deeper and dangerous one! As a people, we are always bleeding. We are always dependent upon the resources of another. We are always progressing from the "least of the apostles" to the "chief of sinners." There are no independent, unbroken people.

And there certainly is no "normal life."

The Lord's command to love others demands that other (broken) people have some say in all that we do. Consequently, this life is plagued with the blessings of inconvenience, sacrifice, and servanthood. The Lord has constructed the relational universe around the paradigm of dying to one's self. Sure, we may choose to seclude ourselves in the coffin of selfishness (a hint of a Lewis quote I once read); but this only leads to more brokenness, which in turn leads to more dependency. It's just a matter of time before someone has to feed us and take us to the bathroom.

A wise man in our church told me once that its all about managing people's expectations. I believe he is right. And I also believe that the Lord does this well - we just don't like to be managed. Many times, before expectations can be managed, certain expectations must be destroyed. The commandment to love does just that. We don't repair ourselves and others to be done. We desire redemption through love in ourselves and others that we may one day be glorified. Glory is the "normal life." We just can have it yet. In the mean time, allow the broken places to remind us that we are not our own; that this is not our home; and that this is life is [thankfully] but a breath.

Does the Lord Control All Things? And, Does It Really Matter?

God's works of providence are his most holy, wise and powerful preserving and governing all his creatures, and all their actions (WSC 11). To put it simply, the Lord controls all things. The seasons, the seas, and even our circumstances are all under the willful decision of our Maker. This wonderful truth should bring us to feel the effects of his majesty as well as our own finitude.

The wording of the shorter catechism, along with the immediate complexities that arise from the doctrine itself, have a tendency to make us lock this truth tightly inside the box of impracticality. Unlocking the box, we think, demands we fully comprehend things like the relationship between his control and the freedom of his creatures (freedom defined biblically), the problem of suffering, and other perplexing ideas. Most of us don't have the time or capacity for this and so we shelf the subject altogether.

In some respects, our own desire to be God, keeps us from worshipping and trusting God. Unless we are all knowing, we cannot possibly be all trusting. But the Lord has not left us completely in the dark. His word is full of searchable depths for us to explore. I do believe it is important for us to know that even if we have not explored those depths, we can still benefit from the doctrine.

In this post, I'd like to point out two practical ways the doctrine of providence is beneficial for us.

First, the Lord's control over all things encourages us to obey his commandments. It is vital for us to know that he can and will provide for us as we "step out in faith." Contrary to popular belief, being a follower of Christ often takes us into places where we are immediately tempted to distrust his power and provision. I am thinking of the Exodus when Israel was led into the wilderness, and the gospel accounts of when Jesus fed thousands. In each account, people followed the Lord and found themselves lacking simple physical provisions.

Similarly, and perhaps more significantly, a follower of Christ will certainly face relational deprivation as well. He or she will be hated for the sake of the gospel. He or she will be confronted with the willful surrendering of property, time, and energy. To live for Christ is to die to self - to lose one's life.

But living for Christ is not only this. The promises run through deprivation into glory where believers will be heavily rewarded for their labors with the inheritance (1Pet 1:4), treasures in heaven (Matt 6:20), and a crown of glory (1Pet 5:4). We have many reasons to obey. But, doubtful questions always linger and eventually may dissuade us. Questions like, "Will the Lord make good on his promise?" "Is he able to come through?" "If I lose everything now, can he give me everything then?" Our doctrine of providence (along with many others, like his faithfulness) tell us, "Yes he can (and will)!"

Second, the Lord's control over all things humbles us as we live in and through this difficult world. We are not our own, and we are not ultimately in control - not even of our own lives. When we find ourselves in the midst of trials and tribulations, our immediate tendency is to blame the situation. Our boss is mean, our teacher is unfair or unclear, our spouse is unloving or disrespectful, our church is not the right church for us, and the list goes on and on.  The problem, we conclude, is our circumstance.

The doctrine of providence informs us that this is not likely to be the case. The problem of our life is not our circumstance, but our sin. The wilderness was not the problem, but the grumbling desires of the people. The Lord used circumstances to shape and test his people. In his providence he used hunger to bring about humility; and thirst to bring about dependency and trust (Deut 8:1-3).

The doctrine of providence is highly practical, even for those who have not read volumes on the subject. It is a doctrine for the simplest of Christians. It is truth for the Lord's church that brings about repentance, faith, hope, and love.