Where’s my super suit?
You know that scene from the animated “The Incredibles” right? It’s one of my favorite scenes of all time.
Lucius (a friend of Bob Parr a.k.a. Mr. Incredible) is preparing to come out of retirement as Frozone to battle the evil Syndrome.
But, there’s one problem. He has a date with his wife Honey. Here’s the dialog from the scene:
Lucius: Honey?
Honey: What?
Lucius: Where’s my super suit?
Honey: What?
Lucius: Where – is – my – super – suit?
Honey: I, uh, put it away.
[helicopter explodes outside]
Lucius: *Where*?
Honey: *Why* do you *need* to know?
Lucius: I need it!
Lucius had been living as a normal person. But, now that there was trouble and he felt needed, he was ready to jump into action as the superhero Frozone. (Of course, Honey had other plans.)
But, I think many Christians live life like Frozone. No, not as superheros in hiding… although, it is something like that.
Instead, they think that God cannot and will not use them unless everything is just right: they’ve had their “daily quite time” or they’ve been reading Scripture regularly or they’ve attended the right kind and right number of church meetings or they’ve had a certain amount of education and training or they hold a certain position in the church.
Nothing could be further from the truth. For those of us who are God’s children (that is, we’re saved and indwelled by the Holy Spirit), then God is ready, willing, and able to work in and through us in a variety of ways.
God is not waiting for us to find our “super suit.” Instead, he’s waiting for us to begin working to serve others so that he can then work through us.
What? God is waiting for us to work? Yes. God works through the efforts of his children. While studying Colossians, I saw this clearly in the following statement that Paul made about his own work for the gospel and for the church:
For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me. (Colossians 1:29 ESV)
Paul is working hard, but as he works he finds that God is providing the energy he needs to get the work done. I think the same concept can be found in other parts of Scripture as well.
There are no “super” Christians. There are followers of Christ who are working for others, and there are those who are not working for others. There are Christians who are love God by loving others, and there are those who are not loving God or others. There are believers who are serving through the gifts that the Spirit has given, and there are those who choose not to use their gifts to serve others.
Stop looking for or waiting for your super suit. As I’ve told many people: God is able to more through you than you think (regardless of what you think).
So, start serving others (working hard or toiling at serving others) and give God a chance to empower you as well.
That’s awesome! Love this entry title. LOVE this scene – one of our faves too! and love what you’re saying! 🙂
It’s so true…. I think when I finally realized this is when I stopped putting people on a pedestal just because of a title but instead sought and found leaders who are walking the walk. And I also started seeing God at work in the most amazing places and ways – insignificant looking half the time yet beautiful and truly Spirit lead.
Imagine if we truly got this!? I think this is a huge reason why christianity can be so confusing to people who have recently accepted the gift of salvation. I have walked through that journey with people in their 20s before when they were saved and they are sooo fired up and are so empowered by the Holy Spirit and looking for God to use them and to spread their zeal & gift and many times christian & church leaders will look at them like, “aww how cute. they have that giddy puppy love excitement that baby christians have”. And they are told to go take class 101 to learn about their denomation. class 201 to learn about how this church started. etc… the church wants them to walk through their system of teaching before they go out and do CRAZY things — like say and do anything WRONG. (gasp)
I wish young, old, middle age christians could have the confidence to just GO and share whatever God is doing in them however they are feeling He is telling them to (words, service, writing, art, encouragement). THAT’S how we find out our gifts —- however we express out His zeal when it feels like it’s overflowing and needs to be spilled out!
I think it’s so crazy when a person has received God’s amazing gift and has so much hope and excitement and they feel they’ve entered this new world and they are looking for anybody else in that world of freedom in God’s Love — looking for others who are excited – and all they find is a bunch of old tired burned out superheroes looking bored sitting in a pew.
ohhh imagine if we really got this! That we don’t have to know as much as a pharisee, have a degree from a college or speak & walk without fault for God to use us!!!!!
but then if the people figured it out……. the people would be empowered and that is SOO dangerous because they don’t have leaders walking alongside them to help direct, guide, challenge, teach….. so since ‘we’ don’t have enough leaders to do that.. we’ll just stick with the one leader for every 350 like we do and we’ll just have to send the cattle I mean people through the system instead and prep them through that machine before they go out and spread any crazy notions and ideas….
yet in doing that we are taking away the very thing we are trying to build up in people.
Randi,
Yes, there are so many reasons and excuses that people give for not serving God through serving others. I hope posts like this (and comments like yours) help to strip away those reasons and excuses.
-Alan
Thank you. Sometimes I feel almost paralyzed. This post has been a clear answer to me to keep on being the me God made me, doing whatever little things come along to help and love on others, and let Father do with my apparently meager efforts whatever He chooses. Whew!
Norma,
Whenever you serve someone in Jesus’ name and for the glory of God, you are using Holy Spirit power.
-Alan
Thanks Alan! I love that scene as well! And a great analogy of our faith \ readiness and willingness to follow Christ. Blessings on ya brother.