What's The Deal With Super Heroes?

I'll admit it, I am a geek from way back. I liked comics long before it was cool to do so. Many, many years before the television show "The Big Bang Theory" ever made it popular. I was the butt of many jokes growing up, and have spent way too much money on those colored filled pages. Yet there has always been something about them that just made me love them, and I know that I will until the day that I die and go to be with the Lord.

Last night I went to watch the latest installment in the Marvel movie company's line up of super hero movies; The Avengers.  For those of you who don't know, the Avengers is a team of super heroes made up of characters who for the past several years we have been getting acquainted with each summer by watching movies about their personal stories, something for which I am very grateful to say the least.  It's nice to let my inner geek loose during the summer and enjoy watching the comic book pages come to life in a way in which I never dreamed possible way back in the day.

This morning as I was drinking my coffee and wondering exactly when I would be able to go see this movie again, I began to question what it is that I like about these stories so much?  I mean what is the appeal of super heroes for me?  Could it be the fact that in each of these characters I see something about my own life? It's the human condition that I relate to. (And yes, I realize that Thor isn't human, but he shares in the conflict of emotions for which humans do.)   It's also being called up into a story which is larger than your own personal little story that draws me in, because if I am truthful, that is what I long to be a part of as well.

After all, if you take away the fantastical part of the super hero equation, what do you end up with?  People who face challenges just like us and have problems too. Granted, those problems usually involve world domination or destruction, but then doesn't ours as well?  Whenever I face a challenge in my life, I know that it feels as if my world is going to be destroyed.  I mean the problems that I face always seem to be insurmountable and catastrophic to me, don't yours?  While watching these stories, I see the possibilities, and what could be if I am willing to face the challenges also with a fierce determination, and stick with it and see it through to completion.

None of us were promised sunshine and roses in life, challenges do come.  This is something that I believe everyone understands. And if you don't, then you need to. Life can be rough at times and if you don't understand that, you will wonder why your life isn't as good as the next guy's.  Yet it's not focusing on how rough life can be that is the important thing here, because if you do that, then you end up being one of those Debbie-downers who no one likes to be around.

No, don't focus on the challenges, we need to focus on the solutions to those challenges.  And that is where super heroes have it figured out I believe.  What makes them super is not their powers, not at all.  What makes them super is that they have the ability to see the challenge and then they have the fortitude to face it head on regardless of what happens to them personally.  And if that is the definition of a super hero, then don't we all have the ability to be super heroes?  I think so.

Don't run from the challenges that show up in your life, face them head on with the knowledge that you can and will overcome the obstacles, and you will be amazed as you leap over buildings and take out the things that try to destroy your world. Strength and honor for the Kingdom and the King!