In my youth I loved super hero comics. I would imagine how great it would be to have super
powers like The Flash, Batman or Superman.
Wow, think about what it would be like to run faster than the speed of
light, leap tall buildings with a single bound, fly or catch a bullet in your
teeth. Well it has taken a lifetime but I
have made it. No, I can’t run as fast as The
Flash or fly like Superman. I don’t even
look that great in blue leotards but that is another story.
I have recently discovered that I have the same super powers
as The Invisible Man. Yes, that’s right;
I can become invisible to those around me.
Let me give you a couple of recent examples. I was in the grocery store and even without
super human peripheral vision I noticed a woman rapidly approaching on my right
side. She was pushing her shopping cart
right at me at a rapid pace. Although I was
right in her path to the lunch meat counter I realized that she did not see
me. At the last minute, to keep from
being run over, I had to jump out of the way.
I thought she would then look at me and apologize but she never looked
at me as she grabbed the desired processed meat that had her been the object of her full attention. And that is when I realized I had moved into
the world of super heroes. I had become
invisible!
My recently acquired super power not only works in the
grocery store. I have learned that I can
transfer my power of invisibility to my car.
Batman may have the cool Batmobile but I can make myself and my car invisible. I was recently approaching an intersection
where I had the right-of-way. There was
a stop sign for the traffic on the road to my right and left so I enter the
intersection at normal driving speed.
Suddenly I realize that the car entering the intersection on my right was not stopping. My car and I had clearly become invisible. I slammed on the brakes and gave my usual gesture before I truly realized my super power; you know the one where you throw up
both hands indicating, “Did you not see me?”
In that moment I learned several things about my newly discovered super
power. First, I don’t need to use that
gesture any longer since it is clear that I have truly become invisible. Second, I can also transfer my power of invisibility to my car.
And finally, sort of like the way Kryptonite drains the powers of
Superman, I learned that throwing up my hands giving the “Am I invisible?”
gesture immediately removes the power of invisibility.
The other motorist saw me as soon as I gestured and gave me another
universal gesture that cannot be used during the family hour.
After much consideration of my new found super power of
invisibility I began to realize that it may be more of a reflection on the current
status of the human race than a super human power that I have
developed. To my disappointment I began to realize that I
have not developed a new super power as much as we have moved into the ‘Selfie
Age’. We are living in a time where
people are more concerned and consumed with themselves than any other time in
history. We take numerous pictures of ourselves
when we used to take pictures of other people and other things. We are often so focused and consumed with our feelings, our thoughts and our desires that the other people around us do, in fact, frequentlybecome
invisible.
This discovery frightened me because it is 180 degrees
opposite from the way God intends us to live.
Philippians 2:3-4 says, “Do
nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value
others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to
the interests of the others.” God is telling us that the spiritually
mature way to live is to consider those around you with love and compassion as
you give their interests more concern than those of yourself.
Whether we are talking about a family member, co-worker or
stranger we may encounter in the store or on the highway the best way to live
is to consider their interests above our own.
Take time to slow down and look at the people around you. No matter how they may be dressed or act
they, like you, are “fearfully and wonderfully made” according to Psalm
139:14. When you slow down and consider
everyone around you as a unique and wonderful creation of God you will never
see anyone as invisible, irrelevant or unimportant. I have to admit that it was a disappointment
to discover that I had not really developed a super power. However, I think I have discovered something
more powerful. When you take time to
look for the ‘wonderfully made’ uniqueness of each person you encounter and you
will be glad they are no longer invisible. In fact, you may discover that those
around you can add quality to your life as you are enriched by being kind to one
another and make new and wonderful relationships.
There is no better time of the year than now to realize what
George Bailey learned when Clarence told him, “Remember, George: no man is a failure who has friends.” If you don’t know who or what I am talking
about just watch "It's A Wonderful Life" during one of the many times
it is shown on TV during the Christmas season. All lives are important and connected, again as Clarence taught George Bailey; “Each man's life touches so many other
lives. When he isn't around he leaves an awful hole, doesn't he?”
No one is meant to be invisible to his fellow man. In fact, God created us to enrich the lives of
those around us. Why else would he make
so many of us with everyone being a special and unique creation? The more we focus on seeing, loving and
caring for those around us as unique creations of the same God who loved and
created us the more we will see them as He does and become more of who He
created us to be…and that is really the greatest super power that anyone can
have.
