Iron People

This coming Friday, Marvel Studios will release their newest superhero movie: Iron Man 3. If you aren’t familiar with the Iron Man storyline, it is about a billionaire named Tony Stark who designs a superhero suit to help defend freedom and those who cannot help themselves.

Tony Stark was not always the hero type. Originally, he was a man who used his wealth and genius for self-serving purposes. After surviving a terrifying ordeal, he decided to dedicate his life to helping others in his super suit as the hero known as, Iron Man.

Iron Man is a fanciful story that captures the imaginations of people of all ages – an indestructible suit; the ability to fly; superhuman strength; amazing weapons used only in defending freedom; and helping those who cannot help themselves; it really is fantastic! Though Iron Man is a fictional character of comic books and the silver screen, he gives us an ideal we can follow to be heroes for others.

The scriptures tell us that when we help other people in the name of Jesus, we become heroes! We might not be indestructible with superhuman strength or the ability to fly, but by sharing the light and love of God, we can point people to the greatest rescuer in the history of the world. Proverbs 27:17 says, “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” When we take seriously Jesus’ commandment to go into the world and share the story of salvation through the forgiveness of sins, we carry a message that gives the power to change a life, make the soul soar, and cause us to be impervious to messages of hopelessness.

We are called to live lives of Christian witness. We do this in corporate worship, synergy in fellowship and study, and the miracles that can come through evangelism and outreach. Like sharpening a tool such as a knife, you need an implement in addition to the tool in order to make the blade sharp. The same is true in our lives of faith – just as Proverbs 27:17 says, we need each other to sharpen, defend, promote, and protect each other. In other words, we cannot live lives of faith in isolation. To put it plainly, when you miss church, the church misses you! You are needed to be in contact with God and others so you can be sharpened and work to sharpen others!

People are drawn to and moved by stories of heroes and heroism. Think seriously about how your normal ordinary life can be heroic in the eyes of another in need. Be present to sharpen others and be sharpened, too! And as we worship, learn, pray, play, and serve together, the transforming power of the Holy Spirit enables you to participate in, and be privy to, the power that changes the world!