What Superhero are You?

It was just another day in my abbreviated life as a superhero. What made this day different was that I was expecting a new side kick and had to wait for him to walk to my house from his home just a block and a half away.

The day you get a sidekick is a momentous one for an elementary-aged superhero who has nothing to show for his training and conditioning except a cape, a mask and a strong imagination (piles of comic books in your closet are your certificates of competence).

All I can remember is that my cape and mask were dark blue fabric. I wore them atop a white t-shirt and my tan “adventure pants”.

For the life of me, I can’t remember what I was going to call myself. I’ll refer to the unremembered name as ___________.

What I DO remember is that his name was George.

George was a neighborhood kid about my age who described himself as “hyper” (which should have been a red flag for me). Anyways, one day as I was nearing the end of my training, I decided that I needed a sidekick. I swore George to secrecy, and let him in on what I was doing.

Ecstatic, he agreed to make his own costume and meet me in my backyard the next day for training.

He showed up the next day in jeans, a striped polo shirt (muted colors, of course) and a fist-full of garbage bags.

My costume was neatly rolled up in a bundle.

“Where’s your disguise?” I asked.

He proceeded to unroll the bags with a toothy grin. His suit was made up of black garbage bags. A strip of plastic with two eyeholes that didn’t quite line up with his own, and a large single garbage bag as a cape.

It would have to do.

Looking right and left to make sure none of the other neighbor kids were around, I donned my mask and cape.

I stood up; feeling empowered by my super-suit, and immediately dove behind a planter.

My next-door neighbor and some of his friends had just walked into his backyard. I hoped that my disguise did its job, but was uneasy about ____________ being spotted in the Boronat’s backyard.

George however, in his garbage bag costume, didn’t budge.

He looked down at where I had hidden myself and began to wave and yell to the other kids, “Hey, it’s Joe! Look, it’s Joe!”

Later, when I asked him why he blurted out my no-longer secret identity, he sincerely apologized.

“I was hyper because I had a cookie before coming here.”

Superman can be stopped by kryptonite, The Green Lantern has trouble against the color yellow, and George went hyper because of a cookie.

Betrayed by a cookie.

Some dreams we have as children evaporate in the morning mist. They’re replaced by other, “more sensible” and realistic dreams.

What a waste.

Where is that spirit of adventure and abandon that fills our hearts and minds until we “grow up”? I’m not saying that we should forgo our responsibilities. I’m saying that we need to recapture some of that wonder and in doing so, remember who we were created to be.

God’s children.

It is God who gives His children gifts and abilities. And only as we discover and put these gifts to use that we find our full potential and live out our dreams.
What gifts have you been given? What are you doing with them?

Part five of our vision deals with this.

Joe

Discovering Identity
What’s your name? We believe there is so much more to our identity than a jumble of letters assigned to us at birth. That’s why we are focused on discovering God’s name for us. Who are we really? What drives us? What are our passions? How are we gifted? How do we go from feeling like just another member of the human race to finding out who we were created to be? This isn't about what you do to get a paycheck; it's about your calling in life. As we discover our calling, we find ourselves walking alongside other people who share our passion and talents. Artists and Poets, Storytellers and Musicians, Dancers and Singers, etcetera, all find communities where they can connect with others. This quest for identity is a journey we cherish and celebrate.

Related Verses
Exodus 31:1-5
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Look, I have specifically chosen Bezalel son of Uri, grandson of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. I have filled him with the Spirit of God, giving him great wisdom, ability, and expertise in all kinds of crafts. He is a master craftsman, expert in working with gold, silver, and bronze. He is skilled in engraving and mounting gemstones and in carving wood. He is a master at every craft!

Romans 12:1-21
And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us. Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.

In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.

Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.

Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them. Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all!

Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone. Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the LORD.

Instead, “If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads.”

Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.

NLTse