Why am I writing a book about superheroes? After all, I’m a Christian pastor. Can I justify writing a book on such an unbiblical concept such as superhumans with superpowers? I admit that at first glance, this book appears to be unbiblical, but that’s merely the surface. Remember: don’t judge a book by its cover. To discover Truth, we must dig into the depths beyond the surface. The real question we need to ask ourselves is, “What biblical truths can we learn by studying superheroes?” For all superheroes only exist because of the One true Superhero: Jesus. The purpose of this book is to define the qualities of a superhero and reveal how all of those qualities come from GOD.
Ever since I was a little boy, I had been fascinated by superheroes. And like many others kids, I wore Superman and/or Batman pajamas with an attached cape. I played with my action figures and used my imagination to create different scenarios for which the superheroes would be needed in order to save the day. I had even created my own mask out of a paper plate and made up my own superhero name. Eventually, however, life redirected my attention to other matters such as sports, girls, jobs, bills, etc. But in recent years, Marvel has released many superhero movies. And as an adult, those movies spoke to my inner child and inspired me to once again think about superheroes. While watching the 2012 movie, The Avengers, I thought, “It would be so awesome to be a real superhero!”
Almost as soon as I finished that thought, I had another: “Because it would be awesome to be a real superhero, I bet there are people who have attempted to fight crime while wearing ridiculous outfits.”
I then went home and researched news articles that might have mentioned such people and sure enough, there have been grown adults who attempted to fight crime in ridiculous costumes! One such example was in Seattle, Washington – a man by the name of Phoenix Jones. In fact, he was the leader of the “Rain City Superheroes” – a group of 10 crime-fighters at that time. While I admired Jones’ passion to patrol the city and keep it safe, I also recognized that real superheroes possess more than enthusiasm. But it made me think: “What if superheroes were real? What would they actually look like? Would they even bother wearing a costume? Are superheroes actually possible? Do superheroes exist?”
And – yes! They are not only possible, but they are real! Their appearance doesn’t usually match our expectations, but superheroes do exist.
GOD uses ordinary people to achieve extraordinary accomplishments. Heroes are not specific species born into existence, nor are they genetically modified or engineered beings; rather, they are average humans who become above-average people due to the decisions they make out from their free will. How a person freely responds to the challenges and difficulties of life will determine if he/she is a hero. An example of a hero would be a man who risks getting injured by pulling a woman out of a burning vehicle in order to save her life. That would be a heroic act; therefore, we can recognize that man as a hero. But how will that man choose to live the remaining time of his life after the initial heroic moment? Will that incident puff up his pride and cause him to glorify himself? Will he continue to respond in a consistent heroic manner in the future? Will he be a one-hit-wonder? Will he later decide that taking risks for other people is too dangerous and that he’s not willing to sacrifice anymore? It’s worth thinking about it. Anyone can become a hero by simply doing one noteworthy act. Just one noteworthy act can bump someone up from average status to above-average status. But should we set our standards so low?
A superhero is not a Superman who comes to Earth from outer space wielding supernatural powers; rather, a superhero is merely a hero with supreme status due to his/her decision to go above and beyond the call of duty through sacrificial love on a consistent basis. An example of a superhero would be Mother Teresa — she went above and beyond by sacrificing nearly everything in order to dedicate her life to loving the unloved. She proved that a woman can be a superHERo.
Sadly, superheroes should be common, but they are not. In this sinful and fallen world, people are often selfish. And because of this sad truth, you would think that superheroes shine and stand out against the backdrop of the darkness in this world. Unfortunately, superheroes often go unnoticed unless the spotlight of fame happens to highlight them. Mother Teresa was one of the superheroes who ended up in the spotlight. But there are many superheroes who work in the background, blend in, and go unnoticed. People are usually distracted with entertainment, celebrities, and their own problems, and so the background superheroes go unrecognized. But there’s another reason why superheroes often go unnoticed: they don’t need the recognition. Superheroes are not superheroes because they get recognized as such; rather, they are superheroes whether anyone recognizes them or not simply because of what they do and who they are. Superheroes do not live for the praise of humanity; they’re not in it for the audience applause, they’re merely doing it for the cause. They don’t seek to please people; rather, they desire to pursue people with a loving purpose.
In reality, superheroes don’t typically wear ridiculous costumes. So, how can we recognize these superheroes working in the background who go unnoticed? In order to find these superheroes, you need only to seek to find the character qualities of these superheroes. So, what are these qualities? I have dedicated one chapter per character quality so that we can expound upon each quality and discover the depth beyond the surface of superheroes. Superheroes:
- recognize evil because they realize there is an absolute standard of goodness by which all evil can be known (GOD is the standard for all that is good)
- recognize what is right and wrong because they realize there is an absolute moral standard by which all wrong can be known (GOD is the standard of all that is right)
- are full of love and are compelled to act out from love (GOD is love and love comes from GOD)
- desire to save people from danger and/or death (this desire comes from love)
- see beyond problems, through the potential and to the possibilities (if they are to save people, they need to be solution seekers)
- do not “what if” themselves into failure (because they are solution seekers)
- are willing to sacrifice for the betterment of others (if the solution means sacrifice, then so be it)
- make themselves available to be used (sacrificial love steps forward and offers service)
- are not blue cord bums (they walk the walk and don’t just talk the talk)
- go above and beyond the call of duty (if you’re going to make yourself available, don’t just put your foot in the water — dive in)
- are courageous, committed, consistent, and unwilling to quit (going all in is to never back out; because they are willing to do what is necessary, they will not back down, give in, or give up)
- know why they do what they do
- do it for the cause, not for an audience applause — they don’t need recognition (they are only motivated by love)
- understand that meaningful REALationships require love; they desire to be loved
- understand that teamwork works — Batman linked with Robin; Ironman was smart, but still linked with Avengers; even Superman linked with Justice League)
- understand pain and suffering
- have real problems because they’re real people (in an intimate connection with close personal relationships, they can receive as much as they give by simply admitting they don’t want to deal with their problems alone)
- make conscious decisions to overcome darkness with Light
- are more than conquerors (our problems don’t define us; exterior circumstances should never alter our inner dispositions)
- are woven together by faith (we are defined by our identity and our identity is found in origin)
- understand their calling
- are always ready for battle because they wear the Belt of Truth
- understand Truth
- are always ready for battle because they wear the Breastplate of Righteousness
- are always ready for battle because they wear the Shoes of Readiness
- are always ready for battle because they hold the Shield of Faith
- are always ready for battle because they wear the Helmet of Salvation
- are always ready for battle because they carry the Sword of the Spirit
- live, eat, and breathe Truth
- are always ready for battle because they pray at all times and on every occasion (Powerful Prayer – Part 1)
- understand who they are praying to (nature of GOD)
- understand who they are praying to (Jesus)
- understand who they are praying to (Trinity)
- know how and when to pray (Powerful Prayer – Part 2)
- Superheroes have superpowers!
- are focused and completely committed
- understand what it means to be a Superhero
- choose to be superheroes rather than evil villains
Quest For Truth 
YOU are one of MY super heroes… because you love on everyone and are selfless. I have no doubt God has great plans for you and will use You greatly. 💙
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