Character study of a true hero
“As I think about the Spider-Man origin— One thing is evident. It wasn’t the spider bite that made Peter Parker a hero, it simply enhanced what was already inside of him.” - F. Lugo
We all have a hero inside of us. It doesn’t necessarily need to be the fighting type such as those who serve in the armed forces. It can actually be someone who decides to stop pretending and finally be real.
Moments ago over a bowl on Kellogg’s Corn Pops I was reflecting on the state of the modern day church and the underlining truth that plagues us. Starting with the individual and broadening out into the whole body of believers collectively— We’re resembling more and more a hypocritical way of living instead of a godly way of living.
Now I must say, God is really stirring up some things now and kicking up the dust around us. Many will be highly upset and offended by these words, but we must hear it nonetheless!
A hypocrite is someone who is acting out a part as in, an actor/actress performing a play. They put on a mask (whether it be a physical mask or a character mask in the way they act) and pretend to be someone they’re not.
Here’s my confession. I have been a hypocrite for much of my life! If my life entailed awards for my actions, I would hold all the worldly trophies, so many hold in high esteem, for my pretending.
• I pretended to love others, but truly my actions showed I loved myself more.
• I pretended to care about others, when truly I cared more about the sneakers on my feet that I wore.
• I pretended to be a brother, when truly I was not.
• I pretended to be a son, when truly I didn’t honor my mother.
• I pretended, and pretended and pretended. Even the circle of friends I kept were pretenders, and I too, pretended along with them.
God’s Word enlightens us to a visual fact but often a mistaken impairment on our pretending behalves. God’s eye is always surveying all of creation to see if He will find someone who is righteous.
In other words, God is looking to see if at least one person isn’t pretending but keeping it actually real with Him, themselves and others... Imagine that!
I could easily say that all of us are pretenders; hypocrites! But God says it, and that catches my attention, and I pray, it will capture your attention as well.
There’s a story about pretend in the Bible, but until recently I wasn’t aware of it speaking to pretending. The story has often and long been spoken of, acted out and even written about in books and Hollywood movies (maybe not deliberately or intentionally) but nevertheless it is there for all to see.
The story of Cain and Abel. Two brothers. Sons to Adam and Eve. Cain a farmer and Abel a shepherd. Cain was a man who pretended, but Abel was the REAL DEAL!
Cain on a specific day gave some of what he had as an offering to God. He didn’t give it with a thankful heart and he didn’t give the portion that was the most honorable. But on the other hand, Abel gave thankfully, willingly and generously.
God knew in the manner the two men gave out of their heart and unfortunately Cain’s actions (or you could say his acting) showed he wasn’t real about what he did towards God, yet Abel wasn’t acting. Abel wasn’t a hypocrite. Abel wasn’t pretending. He actually loved God. He actually was thankful for all he had and that God provided it all, and he was willing to show to God that he meant it!
So, as this timeless story and event goes, Cain with a pretending demeanor about himself (a hypocritical spirit), became angry because God accepted the offer from Abel but denied Cain’s offering.
Cain was under the assumption as many are in this world today as I once was, that God only existed in one time and one place (in the Garden of Eden), therefore he with his anger bubbling underneath his pretending mask of affection towards his brother, asked Abel to come out into the field with him, where he killed his brother (marking the first murder to be committed out of jealous and envious anger). THE END... (just kidding).
Genesis 4:9
Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?”
“I don't know,” he replied. “Am I my brother's keeper?”
—> I added the verse in scripture above to highlight how a Hero speaks to a hypocrite, in order to give them the opportunity to step up and step out in faith and leave the mask behind to actually become the hero they were always created and called to be.
—> I also added the verse in scripture above to highlight how a hypocrite decides to respond to a Hero, to show them they are unwilling to step up and step out into the actual destiny of a hero they were always born to embrace.
As I mentioned earlier, the modern day church is plagued with pretenders; with hypocrites putting on a play... I should know, I was one of them, and I was exceptional at it!
But hypocrisy doesn’t start with just the church, but it’s a world epidemic. All of us play the hypocrite. Whether in our jobs, homes or among our friends or fellow church members. A smile here and there. Saying we’re good when we’re really not. Saying hi to the boss one minute and speaking terribly about them behind their backs the next minute. This even occurs with members of the congregation in the church and how they view the pastor that is teaching. They applaud during service and snicker about how poor they think the pastor did shortly after. How they dressed. How they speak. How they move. Some are even so bold to do it while service is going on. It’s to no end.
In the church you see such hypocritical gestures as well. You’ll hear a hallelujah or an amen, even a shout of “preach it pastor!” But outside of the church, where many take on a Cain persona, many with a delusional belief, believe God resides only inside the four walls of church, and any place further away from it, such actions that are contrary to what they said, heard and performed in church are seen and shared with many.
We see hypocrisy invade a marriage; invade a family as well. Our youth are suffering greatly because of it. They are growing up to leave a legacy of pretending and not of being the hero. When husbands and wives; fathers and mothers, act so lovingly in church but then behind the closed doors of a car, a house or a room they aren’t loving and caring— they’re pretending. But just as with God who sees all, He speaks to us just as He spoke to Cain. He gives us the opportunity to confess, to be forgiven. To take off the mask of a hypocrite and walk in the legacy of a hero. Remember, there is always someone watching you and more often than not, its those closest to you... Be the hero not the hypocrite. The sad thing is, we aren’t playing anyone else but ourselves. God knows the hearts and minds of all people, yet we just like Cain choose to believe God only knows and sees when we are nearest to him (whether it be in a building or a specific land).
Sometimes we even believe that we can get away with certain things like Cain did, if we operate out of a specific parameter. How so?
• We act on lustful desires, yet we use the excuse of not actually having intercourse.
• We stare at others, yet we think because no one knows our thoughts we haven’t sinned, yet this is contrary to how God operates.
• We cheat on a spouse but say it isn’t cheating if it’s online. It isn’t cheating if I watch but don’t touch.
• We steal by altering numbers or facts.
• We kill each day, maybe not with blood being spilled but by our deadly words spoken to loved ones and even those who we consider a stranger like, poisonous venom!
Beloved, a hypocrite isn’t a word for us to get offended by, but a moment of realization to stop pretending and start being real.
Just like Spider-Man who wore a mask, and acted outside the human parameter’s, we do too, but just as Peter Parker was a hero before getting bit by a “super genetically enhanced spider,” we too, have a hero inside of us and if we’re willing to be honest with God, ourselves and others, although things maybe harder, as people may not like or accept the real us, just as Abel was real and God accepted him, God will accept us to! That is what REALLY matters. Amen.Beloved, it can be very entertaining to watch actors/actresses on the “big screen” but at the end of the day, those characters are only pretend and aren’t REAL. As for you... Be yourself— Be real.
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