Character Trumps Capacity

(July 1986) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

With a history of being big "Superman" fans, my husband and I went recently with our daughters to watch the movie, "Man of Steel."   I was intrigued that Clark Kent's father was portrayed as impressing upon him that his character was more important than his super-human abilities.  

This echoed the sentiment I had heard in a sermon recently, "With God, character trumps capacity." What a profound thought.  God has the ability to do anything. . .anything, but purposefully limits Himself to that which is consistent with His nature and character.  

The Lord Jesus lived thirty-three years upon this earth and never once sinned.  He never once gave in to the temptation of selfishness. God never has and never will have a selfish inclination, He is always for others, He is always for us.  For Him the who is more important than the what.

As amazing as all of that is, it is even more amazing that this is the very type of person He is in the process of conforming us to be.  He is conforming us to the image of His Son. . .conforming us to that life of total selflessness, total for-other-ness.  

Now that is a super-power.