Great power, great responsibility

Rob Reardon asks if the rules apply to all

I

n pages of comic books and flashing across the silver screen, one often comes across a quote attributed to the creator of Spiderman - Stan Lee. It says: “With great power there must also come great responsibility.” What a powerful truth. Unfortunately, it is often not something that those who have great power live by.

We all know about powerful people who live lives of questionable morals and with little ethical responsibility. We read of powerful corporate executives who exhibit no qualms about their lavish lifestyles, even in these turbulent financial times. We hear of sports superstars who allow fame and fortune to eclipse their clarity and judgement.

While Stan Lee gets credit for these wise words, the source is actually a little closer to our hearts. Jesus gives a similar word of caution to his followers: “From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked” (Luke 12:.48b). This warning comes as an answer to a disciple’s question and it is a question often asked today - whether the master’s unannounced return is for everyone or directed to a select few? In other words, do the rules apply to everybody?

Can biblical ethics and guidelines be applied to those who do not claim faith or belief in such principles? Can our ethical parameters and moral boundaries be used as the measure of right and wrong in a post-Christian, pluralistic society? Can the Gospel of Christ be used as a template when interacting with those of other faiths or of no faith at all?

I believe that as believers in the one, true God it is our responsibility is to apply biblical standards of morality and ethical living whenever and wherever we can. We must personally live by such standards and also with a responsibility to spread the gospel at all times, as “faithful and wise managers”, as it were.

The words of Stan Lee came at a time when Peter Parker is aching over the notion that he did not act to save his uncle’s life when he had the opportunity. The stakes are much higher for us as we have opportunity to save the lives of others today.

Writer: Capt. Rob Reardon is an officer of the USA Western Territory currently serving at the USA National Headquarters in the Business Department. While youth ministry and discipleship are his passion, he is willingly taking a sojourn into the dark recesses of business administration. On good days he can be found cultivating relationships over a good cup of java. On bad days he fights the urge to tumble into a deep depression due to the performance (or lack thereof) of his favorite sports teams. Every day he is in his element loving and enjoying God, his family and the life he has been blessed with.

2 Comments to Great power, great responsibility

1. The phrase that comes to mind is: “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.” Not everyone is going to submit themselves to Scripture, and if we were to say to people outside our faith, “you need to do this and that because it’s biblical,” they’d respond with laughter, or at least bemusement. But if we can infiltrate our society with biblical principles, we increase the presence of the Kingdom on earth - I think. God desires to see the traits of his Kingdom here, and in this present age: justice, love, etc. I believe that God wants his unsaved “children” (not in the I John sense, but in the sense that they are his creations) to enjoy the goodness of the Kingdom now, just as his sons and daughters (in the I John sense) can enjoy it here and now - and will enjoy the Kingdom thoughout eternity.

   Books, tv, comic strips (apparently) and movies can be great vehicles for saturating society with a scriptural concept. I always liked the “pay it forward” idea, which I think originated with a movie.

   Whatever we can do to make our world a little sweeter, a little more in line with God’s objectives - I say we go for it.
Amy Reardon on March 19th, 2009

2. I have often wondered if Christians have spiritualized the message beyond the intention of God; have we taken the wise instructions of a loving God and turned them into a “how to be religious” pamphlet?

   It may not be that people are apposed to the morality of the Bible; maybe they are simply turned off by the non-practical application of the Bible that often begin with giving wisdom and ends up with an invitation to become religious.

   Could it be that the powerful messages of moral living within the Bible are best shared as practical answers to a difficult world, and we don’t have to treat our commission to share God’s promises as a defense against other faiths? Maybe we work too hard trying to “make the sale” and work too little sharing the hope of living to the full from the wisdom of God.

   Our responsibility to share the love, promises, and hope of God is a responsibility that we can boldly stand and administer. And we can do it with the confidence that there is no better way to live. And if we can do this without trying to be ‘church-growth’ advocates, maybe we can permeate the world with the morality of Christianity without giving off the vibe of a sales person.

   Maybe, then, the entire world will listen when we share with them that the moral living and perfect way of Jesus is the best way of all to live in this world.
Johnny Gainey on March 20th, 2009

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