I live in a
household full of super hero aficionados. I hang around with friends who can
successfully (and seriously) argue the strengths and weaknesses of Marvel
versus DC Comics. I don’t usually have a
whole lot to add to their discussions, unless they are talking about Wonder
Woman. My friends are quite entertaining
to listen to, especially when the topic turns to super powers.
One discussion we
had recently involved Clark Kent and his glasses. We were on a cruise with some of our very
best friends when one night after dinner, our friend took out his contacts and
put on his glasses. The change in demeanor
was remarkable. Our friend, who is
normally calm and quiet, became a very lively life of the party. It was Clark Kent in reverse. From that point on whenever we saw him in his
glasses, we knew we would be captivated by his super power of snarkiness.
That got me
thinking about what my super hero power would be. Since I am sort of shy and I already possess
an associate’s degree from the community college of sarcasm, I seriously doubt
that donning my librarian style reading glasses would bring out any hidden
power. Although it has been noted by many a fourth grader, that when I push my glasses down to the end of
my nose and peer over them, I have been known to give my students the super
power of obedience with just “the look”.
I was kind of bummed that I couldn’t come up with anything more
exciting. Not that I spent that long
lamenting over it. Just a day or three.
Anyway, we got
back from the cruise, I did a face plant into reality and super power
discussions were shelved, especially after hearing the sickening accounts of
the Aurora, CO movie theater shooting. I
busied myself with getting my classroom ready, preparing my kids to go on a
youth mission trip and trying to figure out a way to sweet talk my precious
husband into letting me paint our living room peacock blue. (For the record, I was successful in two out of
three of those activities…)
I’m not sure how
I found myself in the little clothing boutique, because I had set out that
afternoon to go get some school supplies.
Scouts honor, I was in the market for notebook paper and pencils, not a
cute little black dress and another even cuter black dress that fit me in a
size smaller than I had been wearing.
And that’s when I saw them… the perfect pair of red (but not too red)
pumps! They beckoned me with their
darling little peek-a-boo-toe opening and from that point on, I had to have
them. Since my leg has been hurt, I have
pretty much been resigned to wearing “granny shoes”… You know the ones… boring,
flat and sensible. I felt my heart race
as I debated whether or not to even try them on, figuring I would never be able
to wear them, much less stand up in them.
Well, not only did I stand in them, I could walk in them! Euphoria came over me as I made my way to the
register. I have never in my life owned
a pair of shoes that made me so excited to wear them. I literally raced home (and by that I mean this
by- the-book rule follower rolled through a couple of stop signs instead of
coming to a full, complete stop and even entered an intersection on a yellow
light). I tore open the box and slid the
shoes onto my feet. I walked around the
house in them for about an hour, stopping every so often to gaze at them in my
daughter’s full length mirror. (I’m forty people… the last thing I want in MY
room is a full length mirror!)
Yep, I had found my super power in the form of my new red
shoes! I wore them that evening as I
discussed a delicate matter with an extended family member. The shoes gave me a
new found confidence. I dealt with another matter, not quite so
delicate, but one that required some tough decision making that had been
weighing heavy on my heart for quite a long time and breezed through it confidently
as I wore my new shoes. And yes, I am
sure I looked like a total dork sitting at the computer wearing my t-shirt,
shorts and my beloved new shoes. But I
didn’t care. Just like the glasses had changed
not only our friend’s appearance but his personality, these shoes gave me some
confidence that I had been lacking for a good while. Maybe Wonder Woman was right after all. It is all about the accessories.
Now, in all seriousness, I know it isn’t really about the physical
clothing or the accessories that give you any sort of “power” but I do find
comfort in the fact that we are directed in Ephesians to put on the armor of
God.
Eph 6:10-17 (NIV) ...Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty
power. Put on the full armor of God so that you
can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not
against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities,
against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil
in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when
the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground,
and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of
truth buckled round your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place,
and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of
peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can
extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation
and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
And so I will put on my full armor of God (the
only being who posses true super power) each and every day, standing my ground against
evil. Just don’t judge me if I do it
while wearing my cute new shoes.
