A Hero's Call

Joseph Campbell is well known around the theology world for his work in dissecting myths across cultures. He travels the world tracing stories, legends, fables, myths (especially in the religious arena) and charts his findings. Over the course of time, he found an overwhelmingly consistent theme.

In almost every story there is a main character that swoops in and saves the day. A champion. A rebel who rights the ship. And these champions follow a similar life story.

Campbell calls this theme the Heroes Journey.

These heroes experience a call, cross a threshold (point of no return), battle conflicts and opposing forces, only to find themselves immersed in a life changing saga that inevitably changes the course of history.

Along the way they meet helpers too. Ones that travel along life’s path helping at a moment’s notice. Then the hero approaches the climactic moment in the journey. It is the last battle, the last stand, where good meets evil, where fates will be decided. Campbell calls this the boon.

And after the boon is over, the hero crosses back over the threshold and lands back home – the place where it all started. The hero lands back home and is essentially the same, but different.

Hollywood plays off this journey motif perfectly.

Take the Wizard of Oz. Dorothy is called to go on a quest, follows the yellow brick road to the other side of the rainbow. She fights hardships, meets helpful creatures, overcomes unparalleled odds, and returns home a changed and renewed person.

Star Wars. Luke Skywalker is a peasant at best. He gets called to become a Jedi. Meets helpful people along the way, finds himself in ridiculous hardships, overcomes unparalleled odds, and returns home a changed and renewed person.

These storylines are even in scripture. Abraham is just a nomadic herdsman right? Until God calls him to do more. Moses is nothing more than a homeless, stuttering, murderer that gives up a life of luxury in Egypt – right? Until God calls. Gideon is just a poor boy in a poor family trying to make ends meet in the family’s threshing floor right? Until the angel of the Lord calls.

Big moments even in scripture are met with this initial call story. These call moments are powerful. They need not be overlooked. They change our lives. Set out a new path for us to tread.

And Jesus is no different. His story is even adorned with multiple call moments. We see angels announcing his miraculous birth. As Jesus comes up out of the baptismal water we get the voice of the LORD saying, “This is my son, in whom I am well pleased.”

All heroes have a call story. And I argue that these storylines are true for you and me too. God calls us over the tumult. God calls us into a world in which needs saving. When we accept the call, we are choosing to act in that same world as God to bring healing to the oppressed, sight to the blind, the ministry of release to all that we come into contact with. When we accept our call, we are crossing over into a world that needs our fortitude, care, and transfigured love.