The Anti-Hero

If you are like me and spend a great deal of time watching television, you have probably noticed a shift in the type of programming that is on most nights. The lines between the good guys and bad guys are more often blurred and we have come to see the emergence of what we call “the anti-hero,” an individual who is the protagonist of the story yet is either not a “good guy/girl” or at least not fitting the typical stereotype of what the good guy/girl should be. Probably the first anti-hero of television was none other than JR Ewing of the show Dallas, he was “the man everyone loved to hate” yet he was the primary focus of the show and without his twisted antics the show would’ve been too boring for words. A more recent example is the show: “Sleeper Cell” which details the activities a cell of terrorists in the United States. So much time is spent developing these characters and showing the good and bad about them, you become drawn into the story and concerning yourself more with them than the FBI agents who are operating to stop them.
The Bible also has ample villains in it and they are many things, but certainly not boring. For example, the queen Herodias and her plot to kill John the Baptist is scheming on a level that would put Alexis from the show “Dynasty” to shame. Probably the first character that would be considered an “anti-hero“ of the Bible would be Pharaoh in the story of the Exodus. After each plague the Bible says God hardens Pharaohs’ heart, which would indicate that God is moving this story along to a very dramatic and serious finale. One character in the show “Oz” talks about this story and, bluntly, raises the question: “So if God harden’s Pharaoh’s heart after each plague, who’s side is God really on???” This is a valid question, why would God prolong the Hebrews’ slavery in Egypt if Pharaoh would’ve given up on his own after one or two plagues?
I do not think God allows bad things to happen for the sake of great drama. However, I am of the belief that God can truly show the extent of his love for us by showing the extremes He is willing to go to in order to help his people. After all, would the nation of Israel been as faithful to God to wander in the wilderness for 40 years if God said “let my people go” and Pharaoh said “ok.” If you have more of an attention span as I do, you have read the lengthy list of laws and rules God laid out for us. Just as with any relationship, there has to be some quid pro quo, we need assurance that our obedience to God’s law will be rewarded by having God on our side against even the most aggressive foes. In the Bible, we see people faithful to God triumphing over others who have more money, a bigger army, or the law on their side. In another dramatic story, it was Martin Luther King’s faith in God that allowed him to stand against those in favor of segregation even though when he began the segregationists had more money, more political power, and had the law on their side.
Ultimately, in our lives, God may ask great things from us, ask us to step outside our comfort zone, take risks, and in general prompt people to ask: “what are you on and why aren’t you sharing?” Still, when that time comes it is my hope we will remember that God is likewise able to make great things happen and he has the track record to prove it.