We all want to be the hero. I’ve never watched a Marvel movie and wanted to be Loki or Thanos. Turn on an action movie from the 80s or 90s, we all want to be a Wolverine or Rocky, never the Russian invaders. Even when kids play tag or hide and seek, no one wants to be “it.” Everyone wants to be the hero.
Our desire to be the hero bleeds into our belief that we are the hero.
When we read the Bible, we tend to read ourselves into the hero role, not as the villain or the enemy. When David meets Goliath, we imagine ourselves with a sling and a smooth stone. When Elijah does battle on Mt. Carmel, we can envision ourselves standing at Elijah’s side as he calls down fire from heaven. We are Deborah filled with courage and conviction. We imagine that we are Isaiah pronouncing warnings, Joshua leading courageously, or Paul standing at the Areopagus.
I can see myself as Peter drawing his sword, but I never see myself in Peter’s shoes scared of a young servant girl and cursing my Lord. I imagine myself as David, but never Goliath. In the story of Noah, I always have a hammer, I never see myself throwing insults at the man of God as he labored on his hulking ship.
One of the greatest villains in all of God’s word is Herod. Here is the way Matthew introduces Herod,
Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.
The Wise Men visit the king and announce that they have come to worship the one who has been born King of the Jews. Herod doesn’t celebrate. Herod isn’t eager to worship the Lord, Herod is eager to protect his throne.
How many of you have ever placed yourself into this story? If you did, where were you? A Wise Man’s servant, a Wise Man, maybe just a bystander, or even a donkey? As you read the story of the Wise Men, Herod becomes the villain on the outside looking in, but there is a great temptation for all of us to become Herod.
The Wise Men came to worship the true King, but Herod wanted power and control. Herod didn’t want to worship Jesus. Herod wanted Jesus dead.
Of course you don’t think of yourself as a person who would want to kill Jesus. But, who sits on the throne of your life today? When you consider the claims and offers of Jesus, do you bow and worship or do you jealously cling to power and control? Herod probably didn’t envision himself a murderer, just a man who was willing to do whatever was necessary to maintain power and control.
Yes, we all want to be the Wise Men worshiping the Savior, but we must battle our flesh. We all want to be the hero, but the villain lives within us. There is a threat that we can all become Herod, attempting to turn the light of glory toward ourselves instead of Jesus. There is a threat that you and I will see the true King and choose to live for ourselves rather than to live for him. There is a real threat that we will choose the way of Herod rather than the way of the Wise Men.
The way of the Wise Men is costly and sacrificial. The way of Herod is comfortable and convenient. But, the way of the Wise Men is the way of Christ. It is the path we have been called to trod, the journey we must take.
This Christmas, give God glory. Fade into the background and focus your attention on Jesus. Live under his rule and his plan. He is the true King, regardless of how you have imagined yourself.
Image by Angeles Balaguer from Pixabay
