I really like epic movies. You know, good battles evil enduring much suffering and even death to overcome and ultimately triumph for the rescue of many. Its a thread of truth which seems to run through so many of our imaginings in movies and books.

In none of these tales do the heroes or heroins set out to suffer for sufferings sake. No, they are guided by a fixed right which is opposed. It isn’t as though they set out to prove they are right, they just set out to do right. In the process they are tempted, tried and often tormented physically and or emotionally.

I recently watched Legend of the Guardians. It was right up my alley of enjoyable movies. In the story, Ezylryb, an old, raggedy looking owl in the “good” camp is the legendary character from a once-thought mythical tale told by the the believing main character. Turns out Ezylryb is not a myth. In fact he’s so real he’s somewhat of a disappointment to the owls who’ve discovered him. He has this great line in the movie where he points to his scars and mangled feathers and says something like, …there is nothing glorious in being a warrior; it’s simply doing what’s right, over and over again. Even if it leaves you like this!

I LOVE that line! It reminds me of life as a Christian. Its not that we should set out for persecution and martyrdom… there’s nothing glorious in suffering. Rather we are made more than conquerors by letting the love of Christ compel us as His Holy Spirit lives in us to do what is right over and over again. Even if it leaves us scarred and mangled.

I think this is kind of what Paul was saying when he reminded us what really matters as we live following Christ our Hero:

Love. Christ-like love is the right we are to set out to do over and over again even if it leaves us bruised and broken.

Christ-like love is not pampering or mushiness or even sentimentalism. Christ-like love sets out to do justly, love mercy and walk humbly with our Almighty Father God. It doesn’t set out to make everyone like you. It doesn’t set out to even fulfill one’s own greatest potential. It lays down its life for others.

We who follow Christ get to live out (by His mercy and grace) the greatest epic our lives could ever play a role in. Our epic is Christ’s love.

May we love, over and over, even if in this life it leaves us like a beat-up old owl.