I went to Six Flags Great America in Gurnee, Ill. this past weekend, and it was a blast. Tickets were only $20 online, a severe discount from the typical $60 rate at the gate in regular season – the decrease in price definitely made up for the overcast skies and 48 degree weather we experienced at the beginning of the day.
My friend and I soared in the front row of the Superman roller coaster, flipped upside down on Batman and tore through the streets of Gotham on the Dark Knight Coaster while blockbuster smash hit “The Avengers” debuted with the biggest opening weekend in box office history (over $207 million, yowza)! I think this staggering number represents more than the recovering finances of Americans across the country, however – it stands for Americans’ desire to overcome challenges, to be rescued and to be inspired by something, or someone, bigger than themselves.
All of these interactions with heroes then got me thinking about the role of heroes in society today, and Dr. Scott Allison, a professor at the University of Richmond, recently wrote a book on them, called “Heroes: What They Do and Why We Need Them.” He blogs, too, and Tweets inspiring things about people in society who have overcome adversity to make a difference. Among his subjects are Abraham Lincoln, Oprah Winfrey, Sherlock Holmes, Captain Kirk and more, and he insists his studies “provide an illuminating look at heroes — and into our own minds as well.”
The Avengers blew Harry Potter’s previous opening-weekend record out of the water, and this is a statement in and of itself. What’s more, however, is that, as I was riding the Raging Bull and sweeping through the sky on the American Eagle at Six Flags, I realized that Jesus is actually the ultimate savior of everything that is good, and that means He stands for every bulging bicep and rippling ab muscle that Superman showcases in his spandex-clad splendor. As impressive as all of the superheroes in the world are, fictional or real, every single one of them is a mere reflection and/or dim representation of Christ’s splendor, and that truth continues to blow my mind. God created, and is inside of, every thrill and rush I experienced on the the Raging Bull and Vertical Velocity, and that’s a pretty freaking awesome thing to realize!
What’s even better is that God even allows us to have a little fun while we’re here – I therefore plan on enjoying roller coasters and superhero movies for the rest of my days!
This song comes from the Footloose soundtrack, and is performed by Ella Mae Bowen – main character Ren MacCormack is an unconventional hero who is nice to look at, but I still prefer Jesus. 🙂