Your favourite artists, ministers, etc. are everyday people. They fail, fart, fall sick, and do regular human stuff. They probably snore in their sleep too. Forget the goosebumps that arrest you when they are around. Honour graces, but quit the hero worship. Let it be that your regard for them is based on the unique expression of God’s grace in their lives and the expertise they have built over time, not because you think they are better than you.
Have you wondered why people seem to lose their wonder when you get to know them on an informal basis? It’s because your perception of them was based on a lie: that they are somewhat superhuman and extraordinary. People can be extraordinarily gifted and lead super effective lives by discipline, but we are all humans. And I do not mean this condescendingly. I like to think that there are no strong men in themselves; there are only people who are strong because they are being helped by God, and they submit to everyday practices that keep them above average.
Hero worship is a thing. It’s a psychological persuasion that makes average people think of others as somewhat superhuman because of high achievements. Hero worship is the rationale behind many trends, not because the trends are deserving of that amount of attention in themselves. It’s simply a matter of herd mentality: humans doing stuff because someone or some people they have placed highly in their minds are doing it.
This is also the reason it is nearly impossible to forgive a popular person when they’re involved in scandals or make bad life choices. People will definitely expect infallibility from whoever they rate highly. Sadly, however, infallibility is not captured in man’s present design. Man is inherently flawed, courtesy of the Adamic Fall. It is only in Christ Jesus that man is made complete, but being in Christ doesn’t take away the possibility of mistakes from man. This is why God employs virtues like love, mercy, grace and compassion in His dealing with man. It was love, chief among these virtues, that made God give His most prized Possession for our redemption. These virtues always counteract with God’s justice and great hatred for sin to ensure that we are preserved in spite of our shortcomings.
Hero worship is sinful, because it often involves ascribing reverence that should only go to the Almighty, to man.
Hero worship is a trap. It is no small set-up. Many people have desired the popularity that wealth and high achievement bring without considering this virus, and they have paid dearly for it. Stories abound of celebrities and high achievers who took their own lives because they couldn’t keep up with the unreasonably high standards that the world set for them. Let’s save our stars by not forgetting that they are humans despite their extraordinary giftings and trophies. Let’s love them wholly, flaws and all. Let’s give them more wiggle room, space to be stars yet human. Let’s bring a ladder of love so that they can alight from the high horse of pressured pretence.
Why do we have to quit hero worship? The advantages are numerous. You’ll be freed from that pressure you’ve subjected yourself to because you want to be like someone else, your idol. You’ll be liberated to run your own race. Oh, what a great freedom.
Your respect and honour for people will be constant, even when they have allowed you into their inner circle. We will totally eliminate the “see finish” syndrome. Imagine how awesome that would be. Extraordinarily gifted men and women can finally afford to exist without being constantly and unhealthily aware of their flawed humanity. Forgiveness would be easier irrespective of the involved person’s popularity rating. I’m convinced it would be a great advancement for mankind if we can displace hero worship, and enthrone respect and honour without the unreasonable expectations that we have tied to stardom. Maybe we will have more stars across many fields. Stars that will last.
