2:16 – Man of Steel of Man of Tissue Paper: Being Vulnerable

#faithbites #faithjourney vulnerable

Look in the sky. It’s a Bird, it’s a Plane, it’s Superman. Of all the superheroes out there, Superman has always been my favorite. I’ve written a faithbite about Superman in the past to show his strength and how it reminds us of Jesus. This faithbite is much different, this focus on the opposite end of the spectrum: vulnerabilities.

Why do you like Superman? Most people love Superman because of his extreme strength, his powers that dwarf anything on Earth, his compassion and caring for humanity, and his ability to overcome anything thrown his way. He is the Man of Steel after all. While we all know his strengths, everyone knows his one weakness: Kryptonite. In mild doses, it makes him weak and his powers falter. In strong doses, it can kill him. Even though kryptonite is rare unless you are a bad guy then it shows up everywhere, it can defeat him.

I bet when you were thinking about why you liked Superman, you were focusing on his strengths. I doubt any of you said I love that he has a fatal weakness. That’s awesome. In our society, weaknesses are bad, strengths are good. Superman’s weakness makes him more approachable and more human, as we all have our Kryptonite, but do we celebrate it? No. Being vulnerable is just that: a vulnerability that we would rather not have. But can it be good?

Scripture

• But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. – 2 Corinthians 12:9-10
• For to be sure, he was crucified in weakness, yet he lives by God’s power. Likewise, we are weak in him, yet by God’s power we will live with him in our dealing with you. – 2 Corinthians 13:4

Reflection

We all have our weaknesses. They might not be as visible as a glowing green rock, but they are there. In both of our verses, we see that God’s grace is sufficient for us and fills our weaknesses to make us whole. Being vulnerable is a strength as it allows the Grace of the Lord to enter us and show us that we are not alone, that we are protected, and that we are cared for.

The really kicker is that Jesus, a perfect soul, was made weak by taking on flesh, accepting the sins of the world, and being crucified for that. His weakness, his being vulnerable allowed all of us to feel God’s power and be saved.

I personally am struggling with my weakness right now and being vulnerable to the feelings of failure, the feelings of setback, and the feelings of being lost. Normally, I am the Superman of the group taking on everyone’s tasks, problems, and priorities. Once in a while, some kryptonite shows up that makes a kink in my armor. What I need to do, what we all need to do when that kryptonite shows up, is to know that the kryptonite just gave us a chance to be weak, to be vulnerable, to be humble. This too shall pass, but the grace of the Lord will never fade.

Charge

Do you consider yourself a strong person? Do you consider others or yourself weak because they/you are vulnerable? If so, take a minute to accept the vulnerability. It is part of you. Go to Lord and ask for strength and direction in healing you and feeling his Grace.

Prayer

Lord, God, please help me. Help me to realize that being vulnerable isn’t weakness but strength. That your son accepted being vulnerable to save us. That why I am feeling lost right now, you will provide the direction I seek. Help all of us to know that no matter our vulnerabilities, we are strong in your. You will never left us go, never let us fall, and always protect us. In Jesus’s name, Amen