Superman isn’t real.
Neither is Batman, Robin, the Hulk, Aquaman, Spiderman, or any other “Super-Hero”. There IS such a person as Bat Boy, but no one’s ever called him a hero.
Fantasy! Pure, unadulterated fantasy.
I’m not condemning such activity as falderal. I’m only using America’s obsession with superheroes to make a point or two.
Point #1. People who spend most of their time living in a make believe world do not function well in the real world.
A hard worker has plenty of food, but a person who chases fantasies ends up in poverty. (Proverbs 28:19 NLT)
Fantasyland is a great place in which to escape, once in a while. Entertainment can be a great way to relax and recharge one’s batteries. Temporarily. Not permanently.
Point #2. It seems to me, maybe you haven’t recognized it, the superhero phenomenon has found its way into the church.
Pastors, evangelists, and teachers are looked upon by many as supermen and women, able to tackle any and every problem that comes their way.
Oh, and let’s not forget the worship leaders. Many have been elevated to the superstar status (even though they have not sought such a position or status). Whenever Lex Luthor or the Riddler begin causing havoc in the church, all our superhero needs to do is don their cape and the enemy flees.
Of course people need to esteem their spiritual leaders highly, for their work’s sake. But leaders aren’t heroes. God never intended for them to fight our battles FOR us, but WITH us. Leaders lead as people walk and work with them.
When is the last time you ever saw Superman ask someone for help? “Relax, Lois, I can handle this.” “Jimmy, put the phone down. I don’t need the national guard.”
I’m concerned for our spiritual leaders. Especially our pastors. With a nation obsessed with fantasy movies, fantasy games, fantasy football, fantasy, fantasy, fantasy; is there any wonder people expect their pastors to be perfect? And that only adds pressure to the lives of those who don’t, and can’t, measure up.
I don’t believe I have ever read a DC comic book that has a pastor as the super dude.
I’ve lost track of how many pastors have committed suicide within the last year, but there have been many. “Successful” pastors with large ministries have finished their lives before their course was completed. I am NOT speaking of them in a disparaging manner at all. I AM trying to speak of the pressure and deep spiritual warfare they have to endure.
And treating them like a superhero doesn’t help.
Superheroes have to live in fantasyland. They could not survive in this real, nasty, ugly world. Yes, they knock the snot out the villains in Metropolis and Gotham City. But bring them into the world you and I live in and they fall apart.
Fantasies limit what can be accomplished in the real world. “They who chase fantasies end up flat busted and broke.”
It’s time to help our pastors.
I have written a book called “How to get the most out of your pastor”. It’s available @ amazon.com, as a Kindle eBook. One of the main reasons I wrote the book is this: if we will support our pastor as the scriptures instruct us to, God can minister to and through the leader as he said he would.
As I said, it’s time to help our pastors.
Help them to understand we don’t expect them to be our hero. We don’t look to them as our deliverer. We already have one. His Name is Jesus!
When we want a hero, we’ll go check out a movie or read the comics.
Otherwise, we’ll live in the same world as our pastor, upholding them in prayer and supporting them in every way possible.
Like allowing them to burn their Superman suit, and be real.
Unlike Superman.
Jan Grace 