Living Like a Super Hero
“And take the helmet of salvation and the sword that the Spirit wields, which is the Word of God…” (Ephesians 6:17 AMP)
Who doesn’t love a super hero? I know I do. I can remember as a kid thrilling to the bespectacled Clark Kent making a mad dash from his phone booth beside the Daily Planet, boldly transforming from his newspaper reporter persona to the brave man in blue with an even bolder S on the front of his costume. I remember tuning in when Dr. David Banner (also known as the Incredible Hulk) would calmly and casually warn the antagonist of the week to not make him angry; he wouldn’t be liked when he is angry. Batman and Super Friends on Saturday mornings, Spider Man with his “spidey senses” and super sticky webs; if they wore a mask and a cape, chances are I was watching and eating every minute up.
Of course, being a little girl in the ’70s, I was especially drawn to a beautiful woman, a resident of a place called Paradise Island, named Diana Prince who would be known as the invisible jet flying, golden lasso wielding, exploding transformation as she spins persona Wonder Woman. Every week without fail I would turn the dial for the latest and most daring adventure of this dynamic heroine. I always marveled at the way her tiara almost magically became a boomerang to stop, or at the very least, slow the villain(s) down some or how her lasso would seemingly stretch for miles on end to lay claim to villains who had surely thought they could escape. I think what stood and continues to stand out today about Wonder Woman were the bracelets she wore. Golden trinkets that were almost reminiscent of Egyptian times these bracelets were shields that, when Wonder Woman strategically moved her arms, would render a criminal’s bullet useless, causing them to ricochet off one at a time, protecting her from certain death. How wonderful would it be to have protection like this in our world now? Armor, shields, head gear, anything to cover and protect us from the ways of the enemy, thoughts and circumstances meant to destroy us or, like the bullets ricocheting from Wonder Woman’s bracelets, render us useless.
The Apostle Paul tells us in Ephesians chapter 6 we do indeed have such protection; the helmet of salvation for guarding our minds and keeping us from strongholds, the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God, that goes before us to fight every battle. Paul tells us further, “…having tightened the belt of truth around your loins and having put on the breastplate of integrity and of moral rectitude and right standing with God, and having shod your feet in preparation [to face the enemy with the firm footed stability, the promptness, and the readiness produced by the good news] of the Gospel of peace…lift up the over all the [covering] shield of saving faith, upon which you can quench all the flaming missiles of the wicked [one]…” (Ephesians 6:14-16 AMP) Truth which counteracts the lies of the world. Integrity, righteousness, good standing in the face of moral decay. Feet being ever ready to go out of our comfort zones into areas most wouldn’t think of visiting in books to share a message of hope, grace, and mercy. Faith in an ocean of doubt knowing that the same God who went before Abraham and Moses also goes before us, who surrounds us with His army of angels.
I still love a super hero. I still thrill to their adventures and super human feats. I have to say, though, that the words of Paul in this passage are way better than even a golden lasso!
Are you being called to be a super hero of sorts? Are you dressed daily in His armor? What pieces of armor are needed most?
Who doesn’t love a super hero? I know I do. I can remember as a kid thrilling to the bespectacled Clark Kent making a mad dash from his phone booth beside the Daily Planet, boldly transforming from his newspaper reporter persona to the brave man in blue with an even bolder S on the front of his costume. I remember tuning in when Dr. David Banner (also known as the Incredible Hulk) would calmly and casually warn the antagonist of the week to not make him angry; he wouldn’t be liked when he is angry. Batman and Super Friends on Saturday mornings, Spider Man with his “spidey senses” and super sticky webs; if they wore a mask and a cape, chances are I was watching and eating every minute up.
Of course, being a little girl in the ’70s, I was especially drawn to a beautiful woman, a resident of a place called Paradise Island, named Diana Prince who would be known as the invisible jet flying, golden lasso wielding, exploding transformation as she spins persona Wonder Woman. Every week without fail I would turn the dial for the latest and most daring adventure of this dynamic heroine. I always marveled at the way her tiara almost magically became a boomerang to stop, or at the very least, slow the villain(s) down some or how her lasso would seemingly stretch for miles on end to lay claim to villains who had surely thought they could escape. I think what stood and continues to stand out today about Wonder Woman were the bracelets she wore. Golden trinkets that were almost reminiscent of Egyptian times these bracelets were shields that, when Wonder Woman strategically moved her arms, would render a criminal’s bullet useless, causing them to ricochet off one at a time, protecting her from certain death. How wonderful would it be to have protection like this in our world now? Armor, shields, head gear, anything to cover and protect us from the ways of the enemy, thoughts and circumstances meant to destroy us or, like the bullets ricocheting from Wonder Woman’s bracelets, render us useless.
The Apostle Paul tells us in Ephesians chapter 6 we do indeed have such protection; the helmet of salvation for guarding our minds and keeping us from strongholds, the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God, that goes before us to fight every battle. Paul tells us further, “…having tightened the belt of truth around your loins and having put on the breastplate of integrity and of moral rectitude and right standing with God, and having shod your feet in preparation [to face the enemy with the firm footed stability, the promptness, and the readiness produced by the good news] of the Gospel of peace…lift up the over all the [covering] shield of saving faith, upon which you can quench all the flaming missiles of the wicked [one]…” (Ephesians 6:14-16 AMP) Truth which counteracts the lies of the world. Integrity, righteousness, good standing in the face of moral decay. Feet being ever ready to go out of our comfort zones into areas most wouldn’t think of visiting in books to share a message of hope, grace, and mercy. Faith in an ocean of doubt knowing that the same God who went before Abraham and Moses also goes before us, who surrounds us with His army of angels.
I still love a super hero. I still thrill to their adventures and super human feats. I have to say, though, that the words of Paul in this passage are way better than even a golden lasso!
Are you being called to be a super hero of sorts? Are you dressed daily in His armor? What pieces of armor are needed most?
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