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Side-Kick

When I name people like: Robin, Aqualad, Superboy, Speedy, and Ron Weasley, most people think of the word sidekick. These are the guys who back up the big guns. Like in football, they are usually viewed as the second string. Sometimes they are made out to be the comedic relief. The reason for this is usually to balance out an intense/serious character. 

Sidekicks normally aren't talked like the main hero. Most of the names above, people don't have much knowledge of other than they exist as a sidekick. Although they have an extensive history: Speedy used heroin, Robin ditched Batman and became Nightwing, etc. That's the sad part of being a sidekick. People don't notice the importance of them. 

That's how I've felt most of my life. I was the Robin to someone's Batman. My Batman's could be in the form of family members, friends, and even co-workers. This isn't to put myself down and get the self-pity. For me, it's more about identifying a part of myself. 

The thing about a sidekick, they are secretly awesome. For instance, Robin (Dick Grayson) eventually is as skilled as Batman (Batman does say this too). Grayson eventually does take the mantel of Batman. That's the thing, just because someone doesn't stand out or look cool, doesn't mean they aren't important.

Wallflower

It's hard not to be envious of others. I know this to be true but if I'm honest it's true of me. I struggle that I'm not the guy who is not leading this amazing life. I don't make a lot of money, I'm not running a organization, I'm not speaking words of truth to many people, and I'm sure as heck not leading a church (thanks College Degree). 

I admit, I often feel like Robin in this world. Circumstances in life, give us these false beliefs about who we are and our importance. We have a choice: we believe them or we don't.

For most of my life, I felt like I was a part of the background. There was me and the wall. I am quiet and crowds make me nervous. I also can be hard on myself. 

I think my years of baseball had a lot to play into it but I just always was hard on myself. I felt like people depended on me and if I failed, I wasn't good enough. Not to brag, but I was a gift baseball player. I just allowed lies to tell me that I wasn't good enough.

This also lead into relationship problems as well. This made me envious of others. Looking at Facebook and seeing people doing well. Hearing stories of people doing these amazing things. Also seeing the gifts God have given them and seeing my gifts seemed small.

Of course because everything is about me (not true) I internalized all this information. I wasn't traveling the world, I wasn't making my way up in a company, I wasn't changing lives. 

Social media has that way of making us feel bad about our own accomplishments. It's a good and dangerous tool. It sure makes you feel like a Robin to someone else's Batman though.

Society

Sadly not only social media can help feed into lies but society as well. Society kind of makes things seem better than other things. I mean we literally have labels for the type of work people do (white and blue collar). Typically people view one of those labels better than the other. 

It even happens in Christian circles. I'll be the first to say, those who work overseas are looked at like they are better than the person who is running a Bible Study. People who have a gift of tongues in churches look better than others who don't. Is this true? No, but people determine things in levels, rather than seeing things as equal in Christ eyes.

What you are doing is important

Paul says something that is important for people to remember. He is speaking to a church that has a poor view of spiritual gifts. He states the following: 

"Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many"

-1 Corinthians 12:12-14


A lot of our lives is determined by the things we do. The gifts we have. The people we know. The fact of the matter is that we are all a part of Christ. This is what unites us. In Christ, we become a body and this is where Paul has some fun. He says the following:

" If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body."

-1 Corinthians 12:14-20

We are reminded of this important fact. All gifts are important in the body of Christ. Not everyone needs to have things that make them stand out. Within the church, we believe we must have something that makes us seem really spiritual or smart. Truth is, this isn't the case.

What is true is what you have to offer Christ. We need people who are gifted with encouragement, words of wisdom, or prophecy. All these are important to those in Christ. We are to use our gifts and abilities to see how Christ. We are given gifts to give the glory back to Christ!

Let me be clear: To those who feel like they get passed by; just remember, you matter and your actions will be noticed. You may feel like you can't get a break but God will make evident to you the purpose that you serve now. You are important and uniquely made for where you are now. It won't be forever, but it's still important. Even if you feel like Robin.