Superhero Identity Crisis

Introduction

Good morning! I am Steve Garrabrant, and I am a vicar at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Houston. For those unfamiliar with the term vicar, it basically means that I am a pastor in training. In addition to serving as a vicar, I am also blessed to serve as the Head of School of Lutheran South Academy in Houston. LSA is a pre-K to 12th grade campus.

But probably what qualifies me the best to be your devotional leader this morning is that my wife Rachel is an Early Childhood Director.

And, seeing her in action in ministry, and seeing her staff in action in ministry, I am convinced that they—that all of you—are superheroes!

I am going to be honest with you—I could not do what you do! How you deal with the itty bitty kiddos and how you deal with their parents…Wow! You are not just heroes—you are definitely superheroes!

Now, I know I’m preaching to the choir—because you get it—because you live it—but, I’d like to share with you why I think you are amazing superheroes and how I would struggle walking in your shoes and doing your ministry...

First of all, often times our administrators at LSA will hear over the walkie talkies for a call for “housekeeping.” And then, whatever office we are in having a meeting—whether it’s the high school office or the middle school office—we’ll take fictitious over-under bets on the where and what of this distress call. It goes something like this, “Housekeeping, are you available?” And, then someone will start it off with an over-under that it’s a bathroom mop clean up in Pre-K or perhaps a milk spill at lunch in Pre-K4. And then, we wait in eager anticipation for our janitorial staff to respond that they are available and then we listen for what the mission is needed. I tell you, some of the stuff that you Early Childhood frontline workers have to deal with…well, give me those pending suspensions or talks about the possibility of not graduating with our seniors any day!

At our school, our administrators greet our itty bitty kiddos in the morning at the drop off carline. On our Early Childhood side of campus, it’s usually Rachel, our Early Childhood Director, and me, and Kevin, our Director of Admissions for the campus, and Jon, our Athletic Director. Well, one morning Rachel was in a meeting so that just left me and Kevin and Jon. Three men. Involved in High School coaching. And, it felt like we were thrown to the wolves!

This one particular morning, a mom tried to drop off her young son but he did not want to go to school. She’s in tears. He’s in tears. She looks defeated. He looks like he’s reading to take on the world in defiance. In desperation, she says to me, “Mr. Garrabrant, can you just take Corbin? I don’t know what to do!” I said, “Sure,” and then he tried to run. I grab his shoulders to keep him from running. Then I have to maneuver myself to keep from getting kicked in the shins or somewhere else down there. And my other two administrators are just standing there sipping their coffee watching this unfold while greeting the other parents who are chuckling and the other kiddos who are bewildered as they enter the building. I can still see them now…Kevin sipping his coffee and telling a parent walking his pre-school daughter into the building, “Yep. A runner. Someone’s off to a tough start to the day.” And then while I am wrestling with this kid, the parent says, “Understand completely. That was my yesterday.” So I just yell to Jon, “Go get one of the preK teachers PLEASE. I can’t do this on my own and you’re no help!”

Well, that’s not even the worst of it. Later in the day, I’m walking campus and checking in on all the levels, and as I’m walking in the Lower School, a little girl walking with her friend whispers loudly enough that I can hear her, “That’s the man that had that problem with the boy this morning!” Great. Now, I’m on the students’ list of who to watch out for!

O, most definitely, you all have my greatest admiration and appreciation. You are all superheroes in my book!

But, superheroes often have a problem. Superheroes often struggle with an identity crisis.

Batman Video

First of all, that video takes me back a ways—18 years ago! 18 short years ago! You see, the days are long, but the years are short!

And, just as you heard in that video, superheroes often struggle with an identity crisis. Was that Jonah or Batman or Bruce Wayne in that video?!?

You know the superhero identity crisis.

There’s the rich orphaned Bruce Wayne to some, but in disguise he was innovative and a protector as Batman to others.

There’s the bumbling Clark Kent to some, but in disguise he was the all-powerful man of steel and a man of justice as Superman to others.

There’s the conflicted orphaned teenaged Peter Parker to some, but in disguise he was the agile and flexible criminal catcher as Spiderman to others.

And, you, superheroes as early childhood educators and directors—you, too, can face an identity crisis.

Philippians 4:13

Listen to our conference text from Paul’s letter to the church members in Philippi:

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

I can do all things...

When we focus on I can do all things, you and I—we all fall prey to an identity crisis because the reality is that we are NOT superheroes on our own.

On our own, we are not superheroes. On our own we are sinful broken beings. We are in need of help. We are fragile. We cannot do it on our own.

…through Him

So, instead of us focusing on what we can or cannot do, we should instead focus on through Him. Yes, you and I—we can do all things through Him.

We can be superheroes through Him. We are superheroes through Him.

Our focus needs to be what we do through Him and how He works through us.

You see, our magnificent and great and wonderful God who loves you and who loves your kiddos and who loves their parents is a God who has revealed to us that He works through means.

He works through the water of Baptism to bring us to faith and the washing away of sin.

He works through simple bread and wine to give us His body and blood for the forgiveness of sins.

And, He works through people. He works through people to take care of His creation. He works through people to care for one another. To provide for one another. To teach one another. To support one another.

God works through you and me to take care of these precious children and to advance His ministry. To share His love and His grace and His forgiveness with others. He works through you to share Jesus with those itty bitty kiddos that are entrusted to your care.

Humble, Convicted, and Courageous

Our challenge is, that if we are to be God’s superheroes, we need surrender ourselves to God…

We need to be humble, and convicted, and courageous…

We need to allow God to work through us and we need to be in Him.

Listen again to this verse, but don’t focus on yourself—rather, focus on what He does through you because we do this work in the name of Jesus…We do this work through Him—through Jesus.

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

Please pray with me...

Lord, I thank you for using these amazing ministry minded workers to serve your precious children. Lord, when we fall short in our service to you and to those entrusted into our care, please forgive us. Lord, I pray that you grant to each of these early childhood educators an extra measure of Your Spirit to sustain them and energize them to be your superheroes who serve and love You by serving and loving on these kiddos and their families and their ministry colleagues and peers. We pray this in the name of Jesus, Your Son and our Savior. Amen.