Good guys take more punches.
This seems to be a theme that many Superhero films address. There comes a point in a hero's life where he has to choose exactly what kind of hero he will be. What will it be that separates him from the villain? In this movie Batman makes the stand that he will not kill, at least not directly and not if there is anyway to avoid it. Because of that choice he often has to fight an enemy more than once, even if he wins some of those fights. (Strange how all the bad guys get away...)
So far we have a standard superhero story. Where this one differs is when Batman chooses to make the hard decisions that cost him personally. He chooses what is best for the people he is serving, not what is best for his personal reputation or his personal desires. One of the best lines of the movie is that Batman is the hero the city needs, not necessarily the one that they want.
I think those words fit very well into our own hero story. When Jesus walked this earth he was hero to many people. They thought he had come to deliver them from the tyranny of the Romans and restore Israel to a place of glory and honor. But, time after time he refused to tear down those in political power even verbally. And, in the end he surrendered himself to them to die. He was the hero that we needed, not the one that they wanted. He made the choice that no one else could make and took the punches no one else could take.
As we attempt to follow His example it should not surprise us that we often take punches in life that we could avoid. Choosing to trust people, to see the best in them, and to give even when nothing is given in return; that is a lifestyle set up to take some punches. The early disciples counted it an honor to share in suffering that was similar to Jesus'. I have to admit that their mindset is very different from my own on many days.
Thanks for reading. On Monday I will be on to another topic. And, since we only go to the theatre a couple times a year it will most likely not be a movie :).
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