"I Needed That Today" by Linda Greason
“Your desire to tell the good news about peace should be like shoes on your feet” (Ephesians 6:15, CEV).
Wonder Woman, Spiderman, Black Panther, Supergirl! The list of Superheroes is long, and yet they capture the minds of children and adults alike. Three years ago, on a trip to the grocery store with my grandson, Hayes, dressed in full Spiderman costume, several individuals commented to him that they felt especially safe now that Spiderman had arrived! Each time someone spoke to him, he smiled and nodded in agreement as only a semi-shy, 3-year-old can. As chance would have it, we passed one woman numerous times walking up and down the aisles gathering our groceries. Finally, on our last pass, she stopped us, smiled, and thanked Hayes for being there. Her voice was quiet and subdued when she said, “I needed that today. Thank you.”
Now, I don’t know what she needed, but something in his presence touched her heart. In reading the scripture for this devotional, one might wonder how putting on the armor of God is relative to Advent or even Spiderman! And yet, in dissecting the imagery, we see that Paul is suggesting that “telling the Good News about peace” (CEV) should be as common and simple as putting on clothes or even a costume. We should take the Good News with us everywhere and share as often as we can—the Prince of Peace came as a baby in a manger!
Hayes’ enthusiasm for, and his sharing of Spiderman with all he came in contact with that early morning, was the natural outgrowth of his love for all things Superhero. And yet, as a result of his simple presence as a wannabe Spiderman, others were genuinely touched, humored, and able to share his joy. The question for me this Advent season is, what am I sharing with my presence that might bring comfort to someone else? Perhaps in these uncertain times, sharing peace, as Paul suggests, is what is needed most.