Donna and I are big fans of Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy.

The series, beginning with Batman Begins, continuing with The Dark Knight, and concluding with The Dark Knight Rises, grounds Batman in reality.

Adam West would never leave the Bat Cave in Nolan’s world.

Nolan’s gritty realism calls on ordinary people to behave heroically.  (Non-super people normally just flee in terror from the bad guys in this genre.)

For instance, Jim Gordon, played by Gary Oldman, fills the role of heroic everyman.  He is caught in a war and he responds by partnering with Batman.  Gordon is flawed, but valiant.

For me, another character from the final film stands out.

Foley, who I assume to be the police chief, played by Matthew Modine, develops into an everyday hero as the story unfolds.

At first, Foley is a promotion hungry and politically minded officer.  When Bane, the film’s antagonist, makes his first major move, Foley attempts to arrest Batman and allows Bane to escape.

Later, with Gotham under siege, Commissioner Gordon pleads with Foley to lead the police in an attack against Bane.  He refuses.  He believes the situation to be hopeless.

As events unfold, and Foley fulfills his commitment to protect and serve, he overcomes his fear and leads his men.  The sight of three thousand officers, walking in formation toward the enemy, is one of the film’s most striking visuals.

Ultimately, Foley gives his life for the people of Gotham.  The promotion happy officer dies a selfless hero.

You and I live in a world that is constantly under attack.  While supervillains may not be taking over our cities, a truly evil force attacks daily.

Satan and sinfulness render this world hostile towards God’s truth and God’s people.

Like those ordinary people in the film, we are at war.  But, we are a world full of Foleys—regular people, often self-centered.

God, however, calls on us to be His army, His heroes.

Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 1:26–31, “26 For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, 29 so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. 30 And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, 31 so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord (ESV).”

God rarely uses Super Christians.

He uses ordinary people, who are extraordinarily committed to their Savior.

Don’t worry about being super.

Just be committed.

You’ll be a hero.