(I am Not) The Hero

I gave birth to two boys before my princess came along. I still remember the shock I felt when the ultrasound technician declared, “It’s a girl!”
 
I adore my boys, and everything boyish about them (with the exception of that pre-teen stench), but boys aren’t usually game for clothes shopping, painting nails, and re-living childhood princess movie favorites.
 
As an 80’s baby, I grew up in the Disney princess era. Our VCR couldn’t rewind Beauty and the Beast fast enough for this impatient second-grader. Yes, every story was essentially the same: love, a villain, a hero, and a damsel in distress. But I loved the characters, the songs, and yes— the romance.
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Growing up in church, Jesus was often compared to these fairytale heroes— making me the princess. I didn’t hate it. After all, Ariel, Belle, and Jasmine were strong, independent, and intelligent. Sure, they needed physical or emotional rescuing at some point, but they ultimately played some part in defeating the enemy.
 
Now that I have a deeper understanding of the Gospel, I realize that’s not at all how God’s love story works. I love Paul’s rich letter to the church at Rome, in which he thoroughly and beautifully unpacks the doctrine of salvation to new believers.
 
In Romans, He says, “…rarely will someone die for a just person— though for a good person perhaps someone might even dare to die. But God proves his own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (5:6-8)
 
In these verses, Paul makes it clear that when we were saved:

• We were completely helpless. In Ephesians 2:1, Paul uses the verbiage “we were dead” in our sins. I’ve never known a dead person capable of doing anything for themselves.
• We were completely unlovely and undeserving. The prophet Isaiah said even our best deeds are like “filthy (menstrual) rags” to God (Isaiah 64:6). While this is a pretty gross image, it’s one that sticks. We are sin-bent and hell-bound from birth, in the light of God’s holiness.

 
These aren’t the most uplifting facts I’ve ever heard about myself. There’s a prideful part of me that likes to think my good works played a part in the story, or that He chose me because of what I could bring to the table.
 
But Jesus didn’t rescue me because of any of those things. He rescued me simply because of His love for Me. That’s humbling.
 
There is only one hero in God’s love story, and it’s not us— it’s Jesus.
 
Knowing this truth gives us freedom. If God’s love and grace for us is completely unmerited, then it’s not on us to sustain it. This doesn’t give us a free ticket to do whatever we please— As Christ-followers, He invites us into His Great Story.
 
I’m often prone to get a big head about this, too. I constantly have to remind myself I’m not the hero.
 
Here are some signs I’m making too much of myself:
 
I compare myself and my ministry to others.
I feel chained by my Christian “to-do list.”
I allow fear to keep me from what I know God is asking me to do.
 
Friend, have you made yourself the hero in God’s story? It’s time to give Jesus back His rightful place. Have you doubted Jesus’ affections for you? Remember there’s nothing you did to earn His love, and there’s nothing you can do to lose it.
 
God’s story is greater than any story Disney (or Lifetime) could ever produce, or that our minds could ever fully conceive. Give thanks to the One True Hero for all He’s done. Go, and grow His Kingdom.

Memory verse: “But God proves his own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8

About the Author

Hi, I’m Katie Gibson! My incredible husband Craig and I have been married for 13 years and live in North Atlanta with our three children, ages 12, 11, and 7. I'm a writer, author, and speaker. My favorite things include black coffee, small group, date nights, and the Atlanta Braves. I love using the power of story and the unchanging truth of the Word of God to encourage women to grow in their faith. Connect with Katie at www.katiegibsonwrites.com

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