Batman Could be Jesus

I read an article about a man who dresses up like Batman and spends thousands of his own dollars to buy batman memorabilia to visit hospitalized children and encourage children to fight bullying at schools.  The journalist detailed a visit to a children's cancer ward, where "Batman" held and encouraged and offered gifts to suffering children and their families.  Now, I have no idea what "Batman's" spiritual position may be, but as he was described holding a small toddler who was soon to be discharged, tenderly whispering "I'm so glad you're feeling better" I thought, that's one time that Batman could be Jesus.

When you're on the mission field it's easy to start to think you can only be Jesus on the mission field.  Sometimes you take yourself too seriously.  There is a spiritual war going on and, yes, it is serious, but there are so many ways to be Jesus in a broken world.  Sometimes being Jesus means preaching the Gospel in a hostile land, and sometimes being Jesus might mean dressing up as a superhero and wrapping your arms around suffering children. 

But, hey, let's be real. most of us don't have $5,000 Batman costume lying around.  So maybe being Jesus looks like buying coffee for your neighbor, being a Big Brother or Big Sister, or finding a family in your church who doesn't have transportation and making sure they get to church with you each week.  Maybe it looks like cleaning toilets or telling some jokes or sending an encouraging text to a friend or sharing your hobby with others or hugging someone you don't particularly want to.

Our friend "Batman" didn't become Batman over night.  He spent time and money and made plans to invest in people's lives.  So it is, as we are called to be like Jesus.  It takes time.  It takes investment.  And, most importantly it takes intentionality.  It's easy to get sucked into the whirlwind of life and lose all intentionality.  It's easy to stop being intentional even on the mission field. 

We must fight against this.  We must wake up each morning and ask Jesus how we can be more like Him that day.  You never know where He may take you, but wherever you go as Jesus, you take the Kingdom of God with you and that is what we were made to do. 

Holy, Kingdom work, Batman!