His name was Samson and he was our first “superman”; also the only one of truth. All other fantasy characters we make up are derivatives of this supernatural man whose strength was incomparable.
It would seem Samson’s kryptonite was women; the wrong women. A life changing event is when he is lulled to sleep. In this slumber his strength is removed because God has departed from him. He ends up having his eyes taken and is imprisoned, spending his days now grinding grains. (Gives a whole new meaning to our slang about being in “the grind”)
After a time Samson was called in to perform like a circus act for his captors. They gloated over having subdued him. They began to revel and party at this accomplishment but they forgot the most important aspect about this man’s life. His God was redemptive…… Then Samson said to the lad who held him by the hand, “Let me feel the pillars which support the temple, so that I can lean on them.” Now the temple was full of men and women. All the lords of the Philistines were there-about three thousand men and women on the roof watching while Samson performed. Then Samson called to the LORD, saying, “O Lord GOD, remember me, I pray! Strengthen me, I pray, just this once, O God, that I may with one blow take vengeance on the Philistines for my two eyes!”
It is so easy for us to be distracted by our various kryptonite poisons; those things which distract and drain us of strength. We chase them more than our life force. Whatever our drug of choice, we become lulled into a stupor until we can no longer see or hear the voice of our hope.
Our hour is at hand to be awakened to the strength we walk in. Our eyes will not be removed from us but rather we will be given greater vision. Our movies, books and comics follow a familiar theme. We have a hero who starts out invincible, but then succumbs in some weakness or another only to be redeemed to offer hope.
Our greatest hero was one who had no weakness at all but succumbed to His love for us despite our weakness as a human race. He loved us enough to be our hope, our redemption and our salvation.