As Americans we tend to judge everything. We have favorite movies and TV shows, favorite songs and foods, favorite sports and vacation spots. Some people even make their livings by being “classification experts” – we call them movie and restaurant critics, news reporters and talk-show hosts, sports commentators and political pundits, and the list goes on. Even in our daily lives it seems everywhere we go people are always making quick determinations and offering their unsolicited opinions – about everything including us.
As students in school we’re judged by how well we do on tests and quizzes. Sporting contests always come down to the final score. How often are we asked to rate something on the proverbial scale of 1 to 10? Even in the hospital we can’t get away from it! Doctors & nurses ask us to classify our current level of pain. (Is 11 ever an option?)
We learn at an early age to rate everything based upon our perception of personal value. How does it help us? What do we think based upon our life experience?
Even in church it seems we classify everything – including people – according to a perceived “level of holiness”. Saints and sinners. The best and the worst. The holy and the profane. But whose perceptions are these? Certainly not God’s, because we know that He sees everyone equally once they’ve given their hearts to Christ.
I’m convinced one of Satan’s biggest weapons in our daily lives is to develop in us the destructive habit of judging others through our human eyes and unattainable standards instead of viewing people, ourselves included, from the eternal perspective of our Heavenly Father.
If we could ever realize our true identity – our intrinsic value as children of God – our lives would never be the same.
So let’s start at the beginning. Scripture tells us we’ve all equally missed the mark. There are no degrees of sin so we all equally need a Savior. And once we’ve given our lives completely to our Creator, we don’t have to worry about how we measure on that 1-10 scale because God doesn’t have one. We’re accepted by Him simply because of who we are.
Once we know our true identity we are truly free to live. We don’t have to live by other people’s determinations of us because all that matters is what our Father thinks of us – and He loves us like crazy!
Most importantly, once we stop being so hard on ourselves and judging our lives by human standards, we can begin to walk in the daily victory that belongs to us…it’s our true destiny. And that’s where our “real” classification comes in. We’re not just “saints” and “sinners”. In fact, I prefer to think of myself as a Superhero!
Sure, we have cultural icons that are the “superheroes” of our society. When someone asks, “Who’s the greatest basketball player ever?” we probably respond with “Michael Jordan!” When someone asks, “Who’s the most influential music artist today?” many would probably respond “U2”.
Maybe when you hear the word “hero” your mind turns to our military, soldiers who lay their lives on the line every day for our freedom. Or maybe it’s the police and fire personnel from September 11, 2001, who will forever be etched in our memories and our hearts.
I believe a Superhero can be anyone who, by the grace of God, overcomes personal odds and lives a godly example in front of those around them. Not a perfect person, but one who knows they’re identity in Christ, and faithfully uses their life to point other people to Jesus.
Maybe we’re like the Old Testament character Gideon. He characterized himself as “the least in my entire family,” yet he went on to become one of the greatest warriors in Bible history. Without God he was nothing, but with God, he could accomplish anything.
So how do we see ourselves? Are we like Superman or Tim Allen’s character Tim Taylor? Wonder Woman or Lucille O’Ball?? (Sorry to all you “I Love Lucy” fans!)
We must choose each morning to begin our day by seeing things from God’s point of view! 2 Corinthians 5:17 tells us that old things are passed away and ALL things are become new! Colossians 3:10-11 encourages us to “put on” Christ’s image of ourselves every day!
We must decide today, with God’s help, that we will no longer allow Satan to lie to us about our true identity as sons and daughters of the King! We must allow God to give us the courage to believe we really can live a life filled with joy and purpose every single day.
That’s what being a Superhero is all about.