“I’m a super hero, learning to control my power!” My husband told our girls recently.

I fancy being a super-hero too. In relation to this aspiration, I recall reading somewhere you should find out what your strength is and then use it 3 times a day.

Sounds like a plan!

But there’s one problem. I’m not sure I’ve discovered yet what my particular strength or super-power is.

What is your super-power?

I figured a good way to find out would be to ask people. So I asked my daughters what my super-power is.

One daughter told me my super-power is I am determined to have my own way. Haha. This sometimes-surly teenager is not joking. She may also be determined to have it her own way, but I have determined I will raise children who contribute around the house, speak kindly and respect their parents, so help me God!

One daughter told me I am weirdly friendly.  This is according to some of my her friends. I told my daughter to tell her friends that friendliness is my super-power. In reality, I have a sneaking suspicion it’s just that my New Zealand-ish ways stand out a bit in olde London towne.*

I sought a third daughter to ask about my super-powers. Our 9 year old told me my super-powers are manifold…

They are: my creativity, enthusiasm, encouragement, integrity and that I try to remember to look for the best in people and situations.

Nah, she didn’t really say all that. No one did. I just, in my incredibly humble way, thought maybe someone would.

Actually, our youngest daughter didn’t know what my strengths were but she also said, very sweetly, that I’m kind. I happen to know that I am not consistently kind. Perhaps she was after sweets.

I know I’m okay. Mostly I try to be nice. I’m fine. The strangest thing though…When I look around and compare myself to others, I realize, almost everyone else is also very nice.  (I happen to think you’re very nice, for example, still to be reading this blogpost). There are so many lovely people all around…

And all of us are also at least a little a bit faulty.

My best self vs. my worst self.

I don’t know about you, but I sometimes feel that my powers are squandered instead of targeted. Perhaps this is the frustration of a multi-tasking big-dreamer. I enjoy nursing the thought of my huge potential in certain areas while it, in turn, enjoys a long nap.

Meantime, my anti-powers stack up. They threaten to squash my enthusiasm and impede my contribution to the world: selfishness, impatience, procrastination, snappiness, grumpiness, perfectionism…. I refuse to put those qualities in bold text though; I don’t want them to think they’re at all important in my life.

Let’s just say, I am quite aware of my current limitations with regards to my personal super-powers. I’m not a Super-Woman. Not Wonder Woman. Sadly, I am not even Cat Girl. In fact, if you were to find a super-hero name for me, I could very well be:

“TOTALLY-AVERAGE GIRL!”

The only problem with labeling myself “average” means I’m comparing myself with others. I’m convinced it’s rather foolish and unfair to compare, even if it’s just to check if I’m in the same position as others. (Ref: James 3:16, Galatians 6:3-5)

Even so, I confess to find the following scripture just a little bit comforting. I’m not the only one in need of God’s amazing grace:

“…all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:22 NIV)

It appears you and I are in the same boat. Fancy that! Even if you’re living rather happily with no revelation of needing Jesus’ love, peace, comfort and hope, it’s guaranteed that you will die one day. Both of us will. Destiny? And when we do die, we will be wholly accountable for our sin in the hands of a perfect and holy God.

Unless…there is grace.

And that’s the astoundingly amazingly Great News!

Thank God: There is grace.

For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life. (John 3:16, Amplified)

Plus it’s a free gift.  How awesome is that!..

Happily, because I’ve taken the step to accept and receive what Jesus has done for me, I can now understand and embrace the following (maybe you can too…): The grace of God is more than the power to redeem…

The grace of God is my super-power.

Divine Grace is a bona fide super-power, beyond doubt. Better than enthusiasm. Better than friendliness and determination combined. Not only that, it’s a super-natural super-power, because Grace gives us access to the power of God.

“Grace is the undeserved, unearned favor of God that gives us access to the power of God for everything we need for life and godliness.” (See Steve Foss’ article on Grace)

The only super-heroes I have stood next to lately have been made of wax at Madame Tussards. In a 4D show at the end of the visit, Marvel heroes united to fight evil. Spidey, the Hulk, Captain America, Iron Man – each demonstrating an impressive power to demolish evil-doing. It was quite a show.

I’m not sure any of those super-heroes have got this type of power though: With Jesus as my mediator, the bible tells me that I can boldly enter the throne of Grace. I have access to the power of God. It’s a supernatural thing!

Cue inappropriate, grandiose visions of myself in costume and cape approaching the throne…

Access to the power of God sounds exactly to me like a super-power fit for any super-hero!

Paul even suggests in 2 Peter 1:2 that grace and peace can be multiplied to us…

“Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, according as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue” (2 Peter 1:2-3, KJV)

Tempted by a big juicy, helping of divine grace?

Me, I’m tempted to ask for a double portion. I want all the grace I can get. In fact, I fancy eating it all up for myself without sharing any. Uh-oh.

Of course, I know my insatiable appetite for grace is not the reason I’ve been given it. I know God wants me to unpack His grace in the world. Like any super-hero worth their salt, I need to share and utilize the gift he’s given me.

There’s more than enough divine grace to go around.

But it’s not easy being a super-hero.

I’m nervous. Where might I be asked to share and use this super-natural super-power? What if the conditions and situation are less than pleasant?  I’ve seen the movies when things get tough for the heroes. I recall even Spidey had to go through some hard lessons to learn “With great power comes great responsibility.” Plus Spidey always seemed a bit lonely to me.

But hang on, I’m not by myself on this, because I’m part of Christ’s church throughout the world. With the Holy Spirit as our guide, we can all take courage if things get tough. Jesus has already overcome. In fact, if you’ve accepted Jesus as your Lord and Saviour, you’re in on the grace mission too…

You are also a super-hero.

Are you with me? I’m so glad to have company…

Super-heroes, let’s do our thing. It’s our super-natural responsibility!

Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. (1 Corinthians 12:27, NIV)

Those Marvel heroes better watch out right? Here comes the real thing!

My prayer:

So help us Jesus as we follow your lead to save the world, sharing the Great News in deed and word by your amazing Grace.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. (Ephesians 3:20-21 NIV)

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Post note:

*An aside on Kiwi friendliness…

ie. If you enter a shop in New Zealand, the assistant is likely to say “Hey, how’s it going?” and then begin an extended conversation with you. That’s just considered being polite. In fact, sometimes New Zealand shop assistants are so friendly, you silently spend more than a couple of minutes trying to work out where you’ve met them before…to no avail.  Well, there are only about 4 million people in the whole country. It just make sense to stop and chat.

Compare: If you enter a shop in London, most shop assistants will carry on the same conversation or argument they were having before you entered. They may even continue their conversation with someone else while they are serving you… Well, Londoners can’t let their lives be interrupted by every single person who passes by when there are more than 12 million people in this city alone! Certainly, it makes good sense to carry on as you were.

As for me, I now consider I’m on mission in London when gently interrupt a shop assistant in order to have a personal and friendly conversation.  My Kiwi friends have led the way to ensure my Kiwi friendliness prevails. One told me he makes it his mission to make each London shop assistant smile. Another once sternly told me off when my behaviour towards a shop assistant had been unfriendly and unacceptable. The incident? The London shop assistant had been very rude to me so I had purposefully left the shop without saying thank you. Acceptable, but perhaps not very gracious of me. Yes, “Totally Average Girl” was making an appearance that day.