Super Christians?

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13

Are you able to leap tall buildings in a single bound? Are you strong enough to bend solid steel? Are you able to open even the most cantankerous of pickle jars? We may be tempted to read this verse and think that perhaps it means that we should all be Christian Superman. With a big red cross on our chest we wonder why we are not out vanquishing evil, or running all day without getting tired. How can this be true when I get winded just walking up stairs? Perhaps there is something we are missing.

This is an incredibly inspiring verse and is featured on a number of pretty plaques, paintings, pictures, bookmarks and all other manner of Christian merchandise. The danger that is present in taking any verse and pasting it on something is taking the verse out of context. The danger of taking it out of context is relying on the Lord for something that His word never promised. An absurd example of this would be the person who lost their faith in the Lord because they weren't able to make the basketball team, become a famous actor or musician, or pass a test they didn't study for using this verse as their excuse. Yet, if this verse is considered out of it context then these are all reasonable expectations. The problem being, that the verse out of context makes no sense at all.

Now that we have established what this verse doesn't mean, we turn to what it does mean. Context provides this answer for us as well! And we will see that what the verse actually means is much better than what it often gets mistaken for meaning. The two verses which precede this verse read:

Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. (Philippians 4:11-12)

Think of the profoundness of this statement! There was a great move called Angus made a number of years ago where the protagonist is told (my paraphrase), "Superman doesn't need to be brave, he's invincible. It doesn't take much courage to do things when you know you can't be harmed." Paul here is the picture of courage. This is a true super-humanity. To be able to be content in EVERY situation? What's your secret, Paul? Are you the strongest man who has ever lived? Paul's answer: "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Our identity and position in Christ, His life lived in and through us, is the only way that we can live in uttermost contentment and peace in spite of the very worst possible situation. This is a verse of comfort in our most difficult moment, accepting the fact that it is "not I but Christ in me." Gal. 2:20