Learning to Fly

Superman, the original 70's movie, is one of the first movies I ever went to that I still remember (Benji and Bambi were the other two). It remains one of my favorites. Along with Superman being my favorite superhero.

In the movie, Superman's planet is about to be ruined. He is less than a year old, not able to do any type of mobility on his own. His parents decide to send him away, so as to protect him. As it works out he lands on earth, now being about a 3-4 year old boy. He gets out, starts to walk, is "adopted" by a couple who raise him. He then learns to run and climb. And we all know he can run..."faster than a speeding bullet". However, he doesn't know that he can defy gravity, that doesn't come for a good while in the movie. That brings us to this week's quote...

He who would learn to fly one day must first learn to stand and walk and run and climb and dance; one cannot fly into flying. ~ Friedrich Nietzsche

I'm sure, barring any physical obstacles, you've learned to walk and run and climb and dance. But have you learned to fly? Do you have any reason to fly? We can get practically anywhere with the other means of mobility, but to be able to fly, that is the next step.

Some described Michael Jordan as "flying" as he could leap and glide in the air to put that ball in the hoop. Flying is special. Flying is fun. Flying is freeing. Flying is exhilarating. But you can't learn it until you've learned some of the others, first.

In understanding the Christian lifestyle one must learn the others before they can understand flying. Gravity keeps us on the ground. Legalism (feeling like you have to earn/work your way to heaven) is the religious gravity that keeps us from flying. As you learn to team up with God and not try to "work" your way to get close to Him, you will start to experience what it means to fly - defying "gravity". When you are using your gifts for His glory, you will start to experience what it means to fly. When you are with people and are constantly thinking about how you can influence their life for Christ, you will start to experience what it means to fly.

However, you have to learn the others first, they are important, but learning to fly...that's something to strive for!

Learning to "fly"...