Resolute Man of Steel

The movie Man of Steel was released to Blu-Ray recently and I was able to watch it today.  I must admit, that movie is not my favorite of all the Superman movies, but still compelling, namely due to the incredible scoring of the movie.

I would like to focus on the character of Superman.  He had some identity issues as a young person, but eventually learned to accept his role as a beacon of hope for the people of earth.  The word I would use to describe him would be resolute.  Let's take a minute and review the definition of resolute: admirably purposeful, determined and unwavering.  This was a man who knew what he needed to do to save the humans, and did it without fail.  Do you know anyone like this?

Jesus Christ was this resolute man.  He knew the fate he had before him, and resolved himself to fulfill that purpose.  We read in the gospels that he did not want to proceed with what he knew was to come.  Just read what Luke's recollection of Jesus's prayer:

'"Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me.  Yet I want your will to be done, not mine."  Then an angel from heaven appeared and strengthened him.  He prayed more fervently, and he was in such agony of spirit that his sweat fell to the ground like great drops of blood.' ~Luke 22:42-44 (NLT)

Jesus knew just how much suffering and agony he was about to go through.  I believe the anticipation of pain is often just as bad or worse than the pain itself.  Think about the horror our children have when they have to go for their vaccination shots.  Jesus knew the tremendous pain, suffering and humiliation he was about to go through.  He knew he would die slowly and painfully.  He was in agony as he pleaded with God.  

And, yet, he resolutely went to the cross and died for us.

As Christians, we need to remember the level of resolution that Christ had.  As we go out into our daily world, we need to keep that single purpose the God had for us.  

"Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil.  He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.  Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith.  Remember that your Christian brothers and sisters all over the world are going through the same kind of suffering you are." ~1Peter 5:8-9 (NLT)

Fathers

Even Superheroes had fathers.  Today is Father's Day, and I wanted to write about one of my favorite Superheroes who was blessed to have two fathers: Superman.  I haven't been able to see the latest Superman movie Man of Steel, but I understand it is a good version of the timeless story.

Clark Kent grew up in the small farming community of Smallville.  He was a child of conflict and fear when things happened to him that he could not explain.  Clark relied on his father, Jonathan, for guidance and support for his struggles, as well as for his strong moral foundation.  It was Jonathan who revealed Clark's origin, and showed him his spaceship.  Clark was devastated to learn he was not of this world, but of a world he had not ever heard of before.  

He spent years trying to find his own identity.  I write about this in a different post about Superman called Secret Identity.  It wasn't until he found a way to learn about his birth father and home world that he found his calling.  Jor-El was man who loved his son, Kal-El, so much that he would send him down to this world to be safe from the tyranny and demise of Krypton.  Jor-El also dreamed of the day that his son would lead the people of earth to a better place.

I often think about my earthly father, the one who raised me, and taught me right from wrong.  He is the man I loved as I grew up, and he is one with whom I share my love of all things geek.

It wasn't until I was grown and in college that I learned about my heavenly father.  I learned about a God who loved me so much that he would give His own son to this world to die, so that I would not have to.   Guess what? My heavenly father can be your heavenly father too.  All the details can be found in the Bible - specifically in the book of Romans.  Will you choose to find Him?

"For God loved the world so much that He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life." ~John 3:16 NLT

Secret Identity?

Which identity was real to him? Clark Kent or Superman?

Do you ever wonder if the Superheroes had identity issues?  In the stories of the comics and movies, you sometimes see them struggle with having two personas.  I feel the story that most illustrated identity crisis was the story of Superman, as told by the writers of the TV series, Smallville (WB).  The series portrays young Clark Kent struggling as a teenager, growing up awkwardly with powers that grew.  Often times, he hated his power and his responsibilities, and only longed to be simply "average."  In the end, we see how he finally accepted his responsibilities to the planet Earth, and how he embraced those with great honor.

Sometimes, life as a Christian brother or sister feels just as conflicted.  We have additional responsibilities that were given to us, as the gift of life was given.  Sometimes, we would choose to ignore that responsibility, trying to stay "average," which is also known as "worldly," or even sinful.  God calls us to rise above the worldly ways, and adopt his Godly ways.  We are called to love - God and his people.  What does it look like to love that way?

This is best illustrated in the book of Galatians.  When we love others the way God intends us to love, we demonstrate fruit: we have love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (chapter 5, verses 22-23).  I think Superman demonstrated these traits.  Can we?

"When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these.  Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.  But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.  There is no law against these things!" ~Galations 5:19-23 NLT