My sister sent me a bunch of hilarious bibs she made for our little one. Here is one of my favorites:
We're fascinated as humans by supernatural abilities. From The Incredibles all the way to The Avengers, we can't get enough of average people who suddenly can save the world with their flying, future-seeing, shape-changing, brick-breaking-strength skills.
The same seems to be true for Christians. We are drawn to those who seem super-holy, super-courageous, super-self-sacrificing, super-wise, etc... We wish (at least I do sometimes) that we could have the flashier gifts, more steady discipline, less cracks in our super-faith armor.
It's not a new obsession either... Paul addressed the early church this way:
"But it’s obvious by now, isn’t it, that Christ’s church is a complete Body and not a gigantic, unidimensional Part? It’s not all Apostle, not all Prophet, not all Miracle Worker, not all Healer, not all Prayer in Tongues, not all Interpreter of Tongues. And yet some of you keep competing for so-called “important” parts.
But now I want to lay out a far better way for you." -End of 1 Corinthians 12 (Message)
So it seems like we're not called to compete to have more of the supernatural gifts in the Body of Christ. So what then?
God has been gently whispering to me lately that "supernatural" means exactly that, "Above, Beyond the Natural."
What's natural?
For me, it seems to be fear. Fear has been my autopilot mode since I was small. And to be honest, isn't fear natural in a world with nuclear bombs, hurricanes, serial killers, job loss, and dividing cells that eat away life? Fear is a huge money maker, decision driver. It's what causes us to shop for insurance, vote in certain ways, avoid deep relationships, stop opening our homes to strangers.
I realized today that choosing to lay down fear is a supernatural act. Fall seems an apt name for this season. It seems like a huge leap for me into an abyss of uncertainty. But if I choose trust over fear, I am doing something more profound than leaping buildings in a single bound. I am testifying that there is a God. A God who enables me to go beyond what I'm naturally programmed to be.
I don't know what "natural" tendency you struggle with: selfishness, ambition, materialism, protecting a strong or religious appearance, striving, rebellion, resentment... I do know that whenever we choose to go against, above the ways humans have been since we got broken and busted, we are standing in defiance against evil, quietly defeating it with a greater power than any light-saber.
We can't do it on our own, but that doesn't mean we are not powerful. No, we have this promise:
" I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." -Galatians 2:20
We've got a secret. We're not who we appear today. When we call on Jesus, he lives through us. And because of that, ordinary acts of love, courage, and forgiveness are supernatural. Just make sure your cape is on correctly :)
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