Superpowers

If there’s one news item that has been a staple on the Nigerian scene, it’s the matter of insecurity. On multiple occasions, I’ve imagined myself sneaking out of my home, ripping my “house” clothes off to reveal super-hero clothes underneath, ascending through the warm night sky and locating the people who do wicked and unimaginable things to people.

I’ve imagined capturing them and extracting information from them by all means possible. Means that would make even the Batman cringe. Anger and Justice descending from my vengeful hands until every single one of them were gone.

After these moments of woolgathering, it usually becomes clear to me (again) how villains are formed, and why God would probably not consider giving humanity these kinds of superpowers yet (or ever 😅).

But the fruit of the Spirit is love; joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

(Galatians 5:22-23, KJV)

The ironic truth is that the believer actually has superpowers. Superpowers, in the context of our discussion, being the ability to do what others would not be able to do, due to a superior ability.

The Holy Sprit is the source of our superior ability, allowing us to showcase our superpower. The believer’s superpower is Love. Love that gives all it can. Love that suffers long and celebrates good things without giving place to envy.

Many actually think that there is no place for Love in this world. Loved literally saved me, and saved many other believers like me. Love can definitely save the world. God intends for the world to see how deep His love is. And the world will only see this when believers manifest their superpower which is love.

I saw the Batman (2022) movie recently. The movie didn’t garner a lot favorable reviews from critics and moviegoers alike. I’m probably not in the best position to give an unbiased review of the movie, besotted DC fan that I am. But relative to the Dark Knight Trilogy that preceded it, the movie did not quite pack the excitement that most people hoped for.

However, there was a poignant moment in the movie for me. In one of the opening scenes when the Batman was doing his thing, thrashing a gang that tried to harass an innocent man, one of them asked who he was. His reply was “Vengeance.”

Fast forward to the tail end of the movie when he’s trying to stop a number of men from carrying out a mass shooting, the Batman, stretched and exasperated by this time asks one of these men who they were. His reply? Vengeance.

For the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.

(James 1:20, NKJV)

Instead, it produces a never ending cycle of vengeance, violence and hurt. God’s plan to save the world is through Love. Every believer must align themselves with this agenda by expressing the Love God’s spirit has shed abroad in our hearts.

There’s no point wishing for or day-dreaming about superpowers if you’re yet to walk in love towards that your neighbor (Luke 10:36). Whatever we do, including self-defense when necessary, must be done from a place of Love for God and humanity.

If you want to save the world, you must love your neighbor as much as you love yourself. If your neighbor learns from your example, and teaches someone else to love, you’re doing it- you’re changing the World how Jesus would have done it. That’s what it means to be salt and light.

Love is always the answer. Love is the way.