Superman

I always enjoyed the Superman stories/films/tv shows etc. but I never really loved them... I never really connected with the character.... The most powerful man on the planet who was also a total puritan hero... and he was too, well, 'American' for me to truly love.... i'd rather of had a dark and conflicted Batman any day.... and there are too many Jesus/Messiah ideas floating around the character for him to be engaging.

Recently though I've read a few stories where Superman has relied on his friends (the Alan Moore stories - 'Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow' and 'What do you get the man who has everything?', a Superman/Batman story by Jeph Loeb and various Justice League stories). 

And I've been surprised by how my view of Superman has changed....  he has a weakness other than 'Kryptonite'! - He wants to save everyone... and he wants to do it himself. 

Superman usually relates to Hercules in Greek Mythology - but in the stories I've been reading recently he has more of an air of Atlas - the man who is carrying the world upon his shoulders. He has the power to rescue everyone so he feels like he must rescue everyone. But not even Superman can do it all himself; he has greater success when he relies on and uses his friends - both those who are superheroes and those who are not.

In the book of Numbers we hear Moses cry out to the Lord because he is exhausted from leading the people

"Why have you brought this trouble on your servant? What have I done to displease you that you put the burden of all these people on me? ....I cannot carry all these people by myself; the burden is too heavy for me." (Numbers 11:11&14)

We may find ourselves in similar situations - that burden maybe leadership in church or the workplace or even in the family - where the weight of the responsibility is totally crushing. And in that place we so often pray one of two things: either 'Lord, give me more strength' or 'Take the burden from me'.

They are not necessarily the wrong prayers - more strength is always good and even Jesus prayed 'take this cup away from me'. But there is a third option.

And the Lord chose this third way to deal with Moses' problem

"Bring me seventy of Israel's elders who are known to you as leaders and officials among the people. Have them come to the Tent of Meeting, that they may stand there with you. I will come down and speak with you there, and I will take off the Spirit that is on you and put the Spirit on them. They will help you carry the burden of the people so that you will not have to carry it alone." (Numbers 11:16-17)

He could have given him more strength or he could have taken the burden off of him completely... but he chose a third way... he sent others to share it. Often this is not our first choice of dealing with burdens - we either want to escape or we want to play Superman and rescue everyone ourselves. 

No-one can do it all on their own, not even Superman.

Will I try and be a Superman or will I let the Batmans, Wonder Womans, Green Lanterns and Robins help me take the strain?

dg