I grew up in a small town that had only one small block of stores on each side of the street. Apart from that one block, there were no other businesses. While we didn’t have much in the way of entertainment, we did have one place where I spent quite a bit of time.
We had a drug store with a soda fountain and a whole wall filled with comic books. Actually, I didn’t really read many comic books except for the whole Superman series, including Super Boy and Super Girl. As far as I know I read every Superman comic book available in Brantley, Alabama.
Like a lot of young boys in my time period, I often wore a towel around my neck and I flew like Superman. I loved being Superman. Not even Kryptonite could harm me.
Recently, I reread a famous quote about Muhammed Ali, the famous Heavy Weight Champion of the world. No one had to tell Ali that he was good. He told everyone how good he was.
So the story goes, on an airline flight the plane hit turbulence and the Flight Attendant went through the plane telling everyone to fasten their seat belt. When she came to Muhammed Ali, he said, “Superman doesn’t need a seat belt.” To which she replied, “Superman doesn’t need a plane either. Fasten your seat belt.”
We often go through life thinking we have everything we need. We act as if Kryptonite can’t hurt us and nothing can get in our way.
What a shallow way to live.
Paul said, “When I became a man, I put away childish things” (1 Corinthians 13:11). The time I quit imagining that I was Superman was about the time I realized I needed God in my life.
I have found that life is fullest when I am most dependent on God. As I yield myself to Him, I am not weak, rather I am strong. Paul said the same thing, “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 12:10). We weren’t created to be loners without any needs. We were made to be interdependent with others and totally dependent on God.
We were made to yield our lives to God so that through Him we might be strong. “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” (Luke 9:23).
This is true strength.
One Response
Waylon, Your post brought back memories from my childhood. Everett’s Drugstore was on the corner of the block where our family lived (New Orleans). Just like the one in Brantley, our neighborhood drugstore had a soda fountain and a large rack of comic books and magazines about movie stars (my brother enjoyed the former, I the latter.) My cousin Raymond who lived several blocks away, decided one day that he was Superman and was able to fly off his back porch: I don’t remember if he broke and arm or a leg. He never tried flying again (with or without a cape). Thanks for the walk down memory lane; I thoroughly enjoyed my childhood and am forever grateful to God for His constant love and protection…then and now. Praise Him forever and ever!.