Superheroes

I recently watched Kick Ass, it really made me think a lot. That question asked:

"Why does everyone want to be Paris Hilton but nobody wants to be Spider-Man?"

It's an interesting idea, and thinking about it today, everyone likes the idea of superheroes, but in actuality it doesn't happen. Everyone with special physical activities gets pushed into sports, and those with special mental abilities into high paid positions. But again, these are special gifts, but aren't super. These are feasible, the human body pushed to its limits and at its best. The thing super heroes need are super powers, supernatural powers, unexplainable abilities.

Now, this is when it really does become interesting, because superheroes have therefore existed. Jesus was a superhero, as were his disciples. They regularly conducted acts that go beyond our own bodies abilities, and these acts got them a lot of attention, they were the superheroes of their time. They healed people without surgery, cured mental illness without counselling or drugs, walked on water, rose from the dead. These are all powers that have been copied by comic book heroes. But what for now, where are the superheroes now. I've realised we as Christians have the power to be superheroes. We can call on the powers of God when we like, and sometimes these powers won't work, but we can call on them, and in turn conduct acts that are unexplainable.

But there is another stumbling block, and that is evident in Kick Ass, fear. Fear stops superheroes, it makes them weaker, nervous and then they usually lose. The best superheroes didn't fear. Superman didn't fear because he couldn't die, Batman because his enemies feared him more. We fall in both categories, but we need not fear. Sure we can die, but why would we fear that, heaven's much better, so when we die that's Gods' time for us, which is good stuff. It took the main character in Kick Ass to overcome fear to fight criminals, and he nearly died in the process, but he did it anyways, without the assurances we have. We could easily be the people that implement social justice, fight crime when we see it, because at the worst, we go to heaven. A lot of us end up feeling like Batman, not invincible, but that's because our faith has failed us. People listened to Jesus and Paul, they had to take notice, these guys were superheroes, their opponents were on the back foot, because they witnessed what Jesus and Paul did. Nowadays we are on the back foot, because people aren't witnessing our superpowers, often just listening to our empty promises.

These superpowers, the things that can make all Christians superheroes are all thanks to the Holy Spirit. Like Peter Parker being bit by a spider, we are filled with the Holy Spirit, then we have powers. The Christian superhero can heal hearts, bodies and minds, the Christian superhero has no fear and the Christian superhero is listened to.

Thank you for reading,

Davey