Spiderman 3 was on TV this past Sunday afternoon. I surfed my way across it just before the first villain, the Sandman, started wreaking havoc downtown.
Poor Spidey (and not just because the third installment of his movie was so terrible). He had such humble beginnings, and he always seems to have to be reminded of that. It’s a familiar comic book story – ordinary kid has extraordinary experience and becomes a superhero…
And then lets it go to his head.
That’s always the real plot, regardless of which sequel we watch. It doesn’t matter how scary the bad guys are, the true threat to our red-suited hero is inevitably himself. He gets caught up in the fever of his own success. The cheers of the crowd and the accolades of a few flatterers disrupt his equilibrium. He starts thinking less about fighting crime and defending the innocent and more about achieving superiority and preserving his image.
We see it the first time he snaps at someone close to him. That’s when we know that eventually Peter Parker is going to have to face a painful reminder:
With great power comes great responsibility.
Do you have great power? Are you a supervisor, a manager, a pastor, a leader? Are you a husband or wife or parent who calls the shots? Are you an ordinary person who’s been extraordinarily gifted and now has unordinary influence?
With great power comes great responsibility.
Here’s how you can tell that you’ve start to let authority go to your head: by the way you treat those who are close to you. When you overpower or insult the staff person, church member, or volunteer who “reports to you” because you’ve known them long enough that you think you can get away with it; when you’re impatient or irate toward the spouse or child who looks to you for leadership because no one who “matters” is watching.
When the minor inconsistencies of the people who love you become major inconveniences to you accomplishing your agenda, you know you’ve let it go to your head.
It’s a clear symptom that you’ve bought into your own hype and you’re losing your moral center. It reveals the darkness inside of you. And chances are good that you won’t even notice it the first time it happens. But chances are also good that someone will try to tell you. In fact, pray that someone has the guts to get real with you about how you’re acting.
Just like for the darker Peter Parker, when his girlfriend is lying on a restaurant floor after he’s slapped her in a fit of rage, someone will try to ask you for the truth: “what’s happening to you?”
You’d better pay attention. Because with great power comes great responsibility. And when great power is abused, it’s only a matter of time before great power is removed.
Think about it, Spiderman.
I love your blog's design! I just started one myself for our church's website. I'm kind of new to blogging though so I'm checking out other Christian blogs to get some inspiration for design and content. Feel free to check our new blog at Sanctuary of Praise
Would love to know what you think!
Posted by: Brad Rothman | October 01, 2011 at 03:07 AM
Thanks for your feedback Brad. Hope things go well with your new blog!
Posted by: Mark | October 05, 2011 at 06:16 AM