Strength Through Weakness

Superman

I want to begin to day talking about a topic dear to my heart and that is the literary intricacies of Superman

Superman came into existence in June of 1938 through a comic written by Jerry Siegel and illustrated by Joe Shuster.

You might know this story...

From the earliest comics Martha and Johnathan Kent discover a baby that arrives on a rocket from the doomed planet of krypton. That they adopt as their own and name Clark Kent. Initially referred to as superboy though as the plot developed so did the name

They soon discover that this baby has the ability to leap great distances, super strength, super speed, and later as technology develops in our world he is given lazer and x-ray sight all of which become the hallmarks of superhero known as the “Man of Steel”

These tales blew up the comic industry almost overnight. The story eventually gets bought by a little known local comic producer called DC comics. This story captivated the attention of a generation of people facing the great depression.

Then came Superman’s greatest rival

And no I’m not talking about Lux Luther

I am talking about Captain Marvel

Debuted in 1940 known as Shazam - He possesses the wisdom of Solomon, the strength of Hercules, the stamina of Atlas, the power of Zeus, the courage of Achilles, and the speed of Mercury, making him one of the most powerful superheroes.

Captain Marvel is brought into existence by a writer named Otto Binder, and it would appear at least on the surface that Captain Marvel has even more impressive powers. He is stronger, and can fly even faster than Superman.

And for much of the 1940’s sales of comic books for Captain Marvel exceed sales of Superman comics.

D.C. eventually entered a copyright claim and won and against Captain Marvel but it revealed a gap in the superhero narritive

To be a super hero you need super powers

The issue with this is that the next superhero to come along will always be able to be bigger, better, faster, stronger.

It was five years after the initial creation of Superman, in the Heights of the Superman vs. Captain Marvel competition on a radio series entitled “The Adventures of Superman” in the story “The Metear from Krypton” that superman’s story was changed for even. As voice actor Bud Collyer introducted over the radio superman’s greatest weakness which is of course.....say it with me “kryptonite”

It was the invention of this archetype that made Superman soar in comic book saved and radio listens, pun very much so intended.

It is superman’s abilities that make that make him powerful but it is his one great weakness that makes him interesting

It turns out we are incredibly drawn to stories that are like this

Batman - has the trauma of loosing his parents

Harry Potter - carries a literal scar on his head that serves as a reminder to his great weakness to he who shall not be named

Buffy the Vampire Slayer - has the grief of losing her mother

Daredevil has blindness

Katniss Everdeen - Has a compasison for her sister Primrose that lands her in the hunger games and becomes a continual theme throughout the story

We are not so much interested in super powers as much as we are captivated by super weaknesses

In fact if you trace this literary device back through ancient history we see it show up in so many places

Oedipus and his hubris

Odysseus and his desire for safety

and probably most notably Achilles and his heel

The interesting part of the story

The story of David and Goliath is in line with this history

Typically when David and Goliath is read the story as a whole is the entire chapter of 1st Samuel 17, but the lectionary sets aside just this portion.

On the surface, the rest of the story would more interesting, and what we read this morning seems to be “the boring part before the action”

Right after the passage that we read David is offered armor but he says no that will weigh me down

He is smaller, weaker, less armored, and with worse weaponry than Goliath.

But as the story goes David uses his sling to take out Goliath and this is the moment where the Israelites triumphantly win the battle against the phillistines. That is the “exciting” part of the story. But we didn’t read that today it part because it wasn’t the lectionary text and in part because it is not the interesting part of the story.

David’s strength lies in his adaptability

Goliath’s size and heavy armor made him slow and vulnerable, turning his strengths into weaknesses.

It is Goliath’s resources that ultimately make him a liability

David’s greatest weakness is his greatest strength

David’s youth and lack of traditional armor made him agile and creative in battle.

He had no formal training which meant he had no playbook from to be stuck within.

He has only what he know

Though he is offered the best of the Israelites armor and weapons that quite literally are not a good fit for him

He is in every way possible not carved out to fight the battle in the traditional ways

Underdogs often develop unique strategies to overcome challenges.

It is David’s own weakness that not only draws us to this story, but also wins the battle for the Israelites

As we zoom out from this Story I am reminded of what comes after

David becomes a king. And in 2nd Samuel 7:12 we see a prophecy from God that says:

2 Samuel 7:12 NRSV

12 When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come forth from your body, and I will establish his kingdom.

and after several generations Jesus is born

Jesus is often referred to as the “Son of David”

I can’t help but notice the literary irony here

It is God’s creating, all knowing, all powerful all seeing nature that makes God compelling to us.

But it is the fact that God took on the form of a Baby child that makes that God interesting to us.

In a very real way the vulnerability of being human and the ability to die, even on a cross, was God’s Kryptonite, see what I did there?

As we think about ourselves in light of this story I wonder to myself about the weaknesses that are present here in this room

I think about the things that bring color and intrigue to our lives

It is often the weaknesses, that we are called. Henri Nouwen has a well-known theological text wounded healer, where he argues that any meaningful way of being a healer for others must first begin with an acknowledgement of our own wounds.

As look broader though I am reminded what it might look like if we reclaimed our weakness

What might the world look like if we took our cues from those that have been most harmed rather than those who have the most power?

....To put it another way.....

How might we be changed by trying to see the world from the lens of those that are on the margins rather than my those that in the mainstream?

It is technology, industry, connection, and the ability to scale that make our world powerful.

But it is the ongoing battle for equity, the wrestling with our own wounds and trauma’s that make it interesting....for they too are our kryptonite.