Rachel Fisher, Children’s Ministries Communications Specialist 

Proverbs 30:5-6 (NIV)

5 “Every word of God is flawless;
he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.
6 Do not add to his words,
or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar.

Reflection:

Have you ever watched a scene playing out before you and thought, “I know EXACTLY what needs to be done?” Perhaps you have a person in your life who just cannot seem to find their footing, yet you know PRECISELY what would remedy their woes. If you just want to throw your hands up with frustration for the seemingly endless problems that YOU could solve if only given the chance, you may be a superhero like me. Welcome to the Avengers!

According to my therapist, I frequently experience what professionals refer to as the “Savior Complex.” It is the desire to fix everything and everyone I care about, intervening and making things right…at all costs. As glamorous as this characterization may sound, it is actually the opposite of how our true savior, Jesus, does business.

You see, when I decide that a situation calls for my help, I have to do things MY way: MY vision for a person’s behavior, MY outlook on the present circumstances, MY musings on how to precisely take action. I am judge, jury, and executioner, so unfortunately I usually succumb to the power trip of autonomous control rather than actually making a positive difference. I then become so fixated on campaigning for others to join me in my warped crusade that I isolate the ones to whom I had initially sought to bring peace.

Jesus did not do this….people sought him for wisdom and miracles, but he still deemed them worthy despite their societal shortcomings. He loved them and celebrated all that God had created them to be, cherishing their company rather than ensuring they fit the mold.

“Meeting people where they are” is a phrase we Christians like to toss around, however, I sometimes struggle to actually put it into practice. We love to speak about Jesus befriending prostitutes and tell the parable of the Prodigal Son, yet I somehow have difficulty making those I love to feel less alone. So how do we defeat the villain that is our own, rigid set of self-actualizing standards? The answer requires us to re-examine who we think is the real hero of the story (hint, it is not us).

In her book Rising Strong, author and shame researcher Brené Brown says this, “Vulnerability is not winning or losing; it’s having the courage to show up and be seen when we have no control over the outcome. Vulnerability is not weakness; it’s our greatest measure of courage.”

All anyone hopes for is to feel heard, to feel supported, to feel validated. When we draw lines in the sand, we are enforcing ideals that are flawed, for the only perfect measure of humanity is Christ himself. When we lean into compassion, though, we catch a glimpse of how God sees the world.

Superpowers would be fun, but our pursuit for the salvation of others should not revolve around our own hubris. Instead, we need only ask one, simple question: Do you love God and love people? Great! If not, how can I better equip you to grow toward this love?

Avengers, assemble!

Prayer: 

Dear Lord, what a mighty and magnificent savior you are! Thank you for taking care of us, and help us to release our shallow mindset of maintaining control at all costs. May we each be a blessing to the people we meet, turning their gaze toward you and your wondrous, life-saving love. Amen.