What is the hero complex? I’m pretty sure that I made it up, but most of us have taken it on before. You know when you get to the end of a superhero movie and all of sudden you want to become like them? Or maybe like my 12-year-old self you start jumping around, making sound effects and likely annoying your whole family! Whatever the situation you find yourself in after a superhero movie it is probably a form of the Hero Complex. I believe as humans we all have this innate desire to be the hero! Guys, I know, we want to be like the Captain. Saviors of the world or rescuing the damsel in distress! Girls…well unfortunately can’t claim to know this one, but maybe you are looking to be like Wonder Woman. Destroying evil and proving you can, one step at a time. I want to run through the pros and cons of this so-called hero complex.
There are some completely harmless effects of this complex, such as that funny, yet normal 12-year-old I talked about earlier. I’m not sure about any of you, but I remember watching Spider-Man movies (all of them). I watched as a nerdy, shy kid turned into a building swinging hero who saved lives! Why wouldn’t I want to be like him? I do want to disclaim that I don’t believe it is healthy or OK to want to be like anyone, but as a kid it was harmless. Now one of the biggest pros to this complex is IMAGINATION! It keeps your brain moving and you become creative and look for more adventure. These are beneficial things in a human’s life. If it weren’t for my imagination station working upstairs, I probably wouldn’t be writing this.
To the ugly side of the hero complex we go! There are a few, but I want to look at the most damaging one. It is the hard truth that none of us are the savior of this world! The moment we choose to become this so called hero is the moment we choose to look at the Lord and say “I don’t need you!” Something about most heroes is that they all seem to be the outcasts in their story. It isn’t until they get their powers that they finally have an identity. When I was younger I had an ok hero complex ( remember that 12 year kid?). As I have aged a little though it has switched. Most of my life I have been the outcast and it has driven the pain that I have to prove everyone wrong. The thing is, none of us have to prove anything, to anyone!
Two things we all must think about and ask ourselves. First, are you the kind of “hero” that chooses to escalate self above others? Or are you the “hero” that chooses to humble yourself bowing before the King? Two things I have found very interesting in my superhero study (basically just watching movies) are one, all super heroes have to put self aside in order to succeed. Secondly, often the real hero in superhero movies isn’t the superhero it is the ordinary human! See we all are extraordinary, ordinary, sinful human beings in need of a True Savior. (That is Jesus) I’m not about to pull out the “Jesus is My Superhero” song, but we need Him! Go from here looking to glorify Jesus more and more. Looking for the good and harmless side of the hero complex like jumping around and making sound effects. And always be the “hero” who puts self aside and puts God first and others second. Because a REAL HERO is one who will CALL UPON THE LORD, ALWAYS!