So before you have a chance to think it I am just going to throw it out there. Yes I am a nerd. Always have been. Always will be. God loves me anyway!
I was playing a new game recently called City of Heroes and man, is it cool! I just dove right in! Made a character! Gave him abilities! Made him look like I wanted to! Well the thought occurred to me that in this virtual world I was playing in all of the characters were designed with a unique purpose. One is strong and battle-hearty. One is agile and strikes quickly. Another defends and aids his companions with his abilities. The point is that our lives here on Earth (minus the capes, spandex, and a painfully awful costume) are not that different. God designed us all with special talents and abilities meant for the glory of God.
Sadly enough, many people don’t realize that God is the one that gifted them in this manner and in turn, they end up using their giftings for their own gratification. These people would represent the "civilian" or a "villain". Some have no bad intentions and others are just plain evil. Either way ignorance is NOT bliss.
The big difference between the world of comic books and reality is well... a lot of things. But one of them is that none of us, and I repeat, NONE of us are civilians. We are either Heroes or Villains. Good or Evil. Not necessarily that we intend to be evil, but Satan can certainly twist our blind, misguided intentions into something that looks like it.
So are you ready for the next cheesy City of Heroes analogy? I thought so. You know that mysterious character or the older wiser person that gives the hero direction? Well God is kind of like that. He isn’t that mysterious but he is pretty old and wise! What I’m trying to say is that God is that voice of reason, a guide in unfamiliar territory, and our hope in a time of tribulation. At the same time though, Satan will try to trick us into thinking that we are useless and that we have nothing to offer in this fight for the souls of humanity. On the contrary, we have the only thing that matters and that thing is the hope of Jesus! God gave each of us different abilities so that we can approach the task at hand in the manner that he created us for! The real difference between the Hero and the Villain is that the Villain must believe that God and the Hero will fail. The Hero on the other hand, has a choice to believe or to give in to the lie of the enemy.
Romans 8:31 says "If God is for us, who can be against us?" Later in verse 35-39, Paul talks about how God gave us not only abilities but made us victors despite our circumstance. As well as the enemy knows the word of God he will always refuse to believe it and that gives us the edge! We have been made more than conquerors and with God at our side, we cannot fail.
Just know this: Next time you go flying out of the Bat Cave into battle remember that old Alfred has your back and that he gave you all the equipment you need to be a true hero. Amen.
