Superhero?

Psalm 56:4 AMP
By [the help of] God I will praise His word; on God I lean, rely, and confidently put my trust; I will not fear. What can man, who is flesh, do to me?

PERSONAL COMMENTARY
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How often do I lean to my own understanding instead of putting my trust fully in the Word of God and the guidance of the Holy Spirit? When I know that the right thing to do is to love and forgive, how often do I cling to my own reasons for holding back prayers for my “enemies”?

When someone wrongs me and others, do I seek personal justice in my own ways by denying others forgiveness and not praying for them to be blessed and forgiven and renewed? Do I find myself grumbling and murmuring with others about the faults and failings, or do I trust in God that justice will be served and that He will provide discipline and punishment where it is due, and even wrath and judgement. But those are His to hand out,  not mine.

Because, what can man do to me? Even if another wrongs me somehow here in the flesh,  haven’t I wronged so many myself over the years? Is there a friend that I have not betrayed in one way or another,  whether it was innocent or conscious decision,  or simply selfish inaction in a time of their need?

So who am I to judge what kind of behavior is deserved or expected from another? When another weak person falls short of what they should be doing – just like I fall short many times – am I offering them an encouraging hand,  or am I kicking them while they are down,  or maybe just ignoring their situation hoping they will find someone else who is willing to help?

And doesn’t all of this delay and procrastination from doing what I know is merciful stem from distrust on some level that God has a plan and is using me as a part of that plan. When I realize that I am His chosen ambassador, don’t I begin to see these situations as opportunities instead of challenges? Doesn’t my perspective begin to shift away from self and back to God?

So help me to keep my perspective on God and His will and purpose. Don’t let me get caught up in what someone “did to” or “didn’t do for” me and others – but instead let me focus on how God can use me to improve the situation.

My daughter has a super hero cape and mask and is running around the house this morning exclaiming, “I’m going to save the day!” This gives me a perspective on how I should view life’s challenges. I should put my trust in God, trusting that I encounter opportunities to be loving,  forgiving,  merciful, and encouraging so that others will receive these things from the Christ that lives in me. When I withhold these things,  I’m not allowing these fruits of the Holy Spirit to be shared with others and I’m in essence trying to stand in the way of the power that needs to be poured out onto others as a blessing to their lives. I can either be a Christ powered ambassador for the Lord,  our I can be a powerless super hero yelling at the top of my lungs that I’m going to save the day but having no real power,  just a loud mouth and a disguise.

Help me today to truly be an ambassador for Christ,  a humble servant –

not a loud mouthed,  powerless, self-proclaimed super hero.