Jeff and I have been presented with some rare opportunities lately. One is to go to Africa in 2019 to share with and encourage the pastors there. The other is to be a part of a new School of Spiritual Empowerment right here in the Orlando area. As exciting as this all sounds, there is a difference between hearing about someone else doing it and living it for yourself.
How many times do we read stories in the Bible about all the wonderful, outrageous and miraculous things Jesus did during his time here on Earth? As amazing as they sound, it's still fairly easy for us to believe that He actually did them. He is God, after all. God can do anything... anything He wants.
But what about me? Why is it so hard to believe that I possess what it takes to follow in Jesus steps? Why does the wonderful, outrageous and miraculous things seem so far out of my reach? Why is it difficult for me to risk going out of my comfort zone?
A lot of what we face becomes big and scary because we forget who we are. I saw an episode on T.V. where a doctor explained to her protege how to "stand" before surgery. She said, "If you stand with your hands on your hips for 5 minutes, in a superhero pose, you will believe for yourself that you can be a superhero. I believe that sometimes art imitates reality. Jesus had already told us that very same thing:
Genesis 1:27 God created man in His own image.
John 17:11 - ... that they may be one, even as we are.
John 14:12 - ... Greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.
We were created to be superheroes. The intent is not to draw attention to ourselves, but to expand God's Kingdom the same way Jesus did... through love. This doesn't bring glory to ourselves any more than a piece of artwork does. Instead, it brings glory to the artist. It causes people to want to know more about the artist. It is the beginning of a relationship with the artist.
Well then, that is who I am. I am a superhero. To discover my superhero abilities, I need only to ask Holy Spirit, "Who do you say that I am?" His answers will always reflect a part of His nature because I am made in His image. If what I am hearing sounds negative, then I may be hearing a lie. Lies aren't a problem. As a superhero, I can box them up and exchange them for "truth". I can lay them at the feet of the cross and pick up the truth God has for me in return. That's what superheroes do for themselves and for others. This is an easy way to grow Kingdom culture.
Now I can look at my opportunities through the eyes of a superhero. I can strengthen myself by looking in the mirror and remembering why the artist created this piece of art. I can become a little more confident in my ability to risk and begin to walk the adventure. I can do All things though Him who strengthens me (Philippians 4:13).
No comments:
Post a Comment