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In an alcoholic or dysfunctional family, one child (usually the oldest or oldest female) takes on the role of "hero child." The hero child is ultra responsible, trying to make everything better for everyone...to fix the problems of the family, smooth things over, and keep the peace. A colleague of mine who specialized in working with children of alcoholic once told me, "being a superhero is a short lived profession." And that's true...eventually some kind of "crash" comes because no one person can fix everything, make everyone happy, and keep all conflict at bay. These unrealistic expectations may lead to a sense of unworthiness...but, try as any of us may, no one can be perfect...Except Jesus.
Jesus is perfect, but he doesn't fix everything, make everyone happy, and reduce all conflict. In fact John 16:33b says..."In this world you will have trouble..." The "33a" part of this verse is the true answer to this conundrum, "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace." In the previous chapter, Jesus has already explained this 'in me" need in several verses. "Remain in me and I will remain in you...If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers...Now remain in my love (vs.4,6,& 9).
Our primary focus, then, is to remain in Jesus. It is only through him that we find our worth. Matthew 10:29-31 "Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows." We have inherit worth because we are followers of Christ and children of God. "How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! " (Jn.3:1).
Jesus, then, becomes Our Hero as He fulfills the role God entrusted to him in order to redeem us, reconcile us to himself, and restore us. Beginning in 1 Peter 1:18 "...you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers...with the precious blood of Christ...." "and through him to reconcile to himself (God) all things...by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross" (Colossians 1:20). "He (Jesus) must remain in heaven until the time comes for God to restore everything as he promised long ago through his holy prophets"(Acts 3:21).
One final thought--in church on Sunday, we sang Hillsong's "King of all Days." The last two lines brought to me a powerful picture of a tunnel of light leading through "a great cloud of witnesses" (Heb. 12:1) to Jesus' open arms. What better arms to run to except Jesus, our hero?
"I run to Your Arms of love
Your light's gonna lead me home."