The Superhero inside us all

It doesn’t take much encouragement for my boys to dress up as their favourite superhero. My 6 year old, an absolute superman fan, will, if you’re not careful, wear the superman costume underneath his clothes as complete commitment to Clark Kent. And if my boys are not pretending to be Superman or Batman, they’re busy creating their own superheroes, complete with costumes, and their own unique super powers.

It seems though, the dream to be a superhero is not limited to children. If Damo from the recent “The Block NZ” TV series proved, even adults find opportunities to be Batman!

Wikipedia defines a superhero as “a type of hero character hero character possessing extraordinary talents, supernatural phenomena, or superhuman powers and dedicated to protecting the public.” Sounds good. Who wouldn’t want to have an extraordinary talent or power! I’d find speed particularly useful – imagine what I could accomplish in a day (even without coffee!!)

I do wonder though, if this fascination for superheroes is built into our DNA. If it is because there is a superhero inside us all. And if when you look at the definition of a superhero you realise that God has placed these characteristics on the inside of us all through the power of the Holy Spirit.

According to my boys, Jesus is the ultimate Superhero and their favourite. And they are right. When Jesus walked the earth, He performed many miracles, signs and wonders. He raised people from the dead, healed the sick, turned water in wine, fed 5000 plus people, calmed storms and walked on water. Amazing! Extraordinary! Supernatural yes! Yet we are called to live this life as well and more so!

“Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.” (John 14:12)

I might not have a cape hanging in my wardrobe, or have access to an invisible plane, but through the power of the Holy Spirit and through the resurrected life that Jesus won for me, I am called to live a life that is extraordinary and thereby by definition one of a superhero!

To be this breed of superheroes, we need to be brave. To no longer keep our cape hidden beneath our daily attire, or presenting ourselves to the world as a mild mannered reporter!! That means stepping out and praying for those that are sick, sharing our faith, prophesying, and always expecting the miracle of God breaking through into people’s lives and situations.