Do We Need Dark Knights?

 

I saw something interesting on my trip to Germany a few weeks ago:

 

 

 

Yes, Black Swans do exist – fowl, friend, and fiend.  I’ve already described the definition of a Black Swan, but as a reminder it’s:

 

• A highly improbable event or occurrence outside of the realm of our expectations,

• that carries extreme impact,

• and which is unexplainable in retrospect, or predictable in the future.

 

So what does the “The Dark Knight” have to do with the “The Black Bird”?  I read an interesting article recently in a local newspaper entitled The Superhero Trap.  Here’s a quote:

 

The Dark Knight, praised by critics for its somber themes and grand ambitions, has proven to be a mighty box office force in a summer already dominated by superheroes of various kinds.  But any comic book fan knows that a hero at the height of his powers is a few panels removed from mortal danger, and that hubris has a way of summoning new enemies out of the shadows.  Are the Caped Crusader and his colleagues basking in an endless summer of triumph, or is the sun already starting to set?…. Those poor, misunderstood crusaders must turn big profits on a global scale and satisfy an audience hungry for the thrill of novelty and the comforts of the familiar.  Is it just me, or is the strain starting to show?

 

Although the writer makes a logical observation based on possible future box office returns, I think he (or she – A.O. Scott) misses the point why superheroes are so popular and why they will survive in some form or fashion in the coming years. The Dark Knight, The Man of Steel, The Crimson Avenger (Iron Man – can you believe a middle aged guy knows that) and other icons represent modern mythology; epic participants who courageously step in to remedy crime or disaster when needed. We will always adore these modern day Hercules because we crave heroes and, perhaps more important, we love to experience perilous rescue. 

 

Our enemy The Great Illusionist (next entry) plots “bad bird” Black Swans like a chess master who sees victory twelve moves ahead.  He is both epically evil and strategically brilliant. We pray when his Swans swoop we will be ready to respond with courage, strength, and character. 

 

One of my most highly respected friends leads an international organization where God shows up everyday with “good bird” Black Swans.  I am amazed at how God tangibly and miraculously steps into his circumstances, both in the macro and the micro.  Recently I asked my friend to describe how an individual can move towards experiencing that kind of intimacy and response with God.  He gave me three suggestions – a “Heavenly Hat Trick”:

 

• Read the Bible every day – not just books about the Bible, but the Word itself.

• Expect God to show up, don’t just pray that He does.  Keep the radar for His invitation continually on “Defcon 1”.

• Be willing to look foolish, no matter what He invites me to do.

 

I believe these are the keys to courageous participation in both small opportunities to help others, as well as preparation to respond to the “Big Bad Bird” when it descends.  Try the Hat Trick on for size, and ask your son if he would like to join you in perilous rescue during the epic battles ahead.

 

Do we need “Dark Knights”?   No question in my mind – now and forever.

 

 

The League that Limped

I’ve spent the past few posts describing the need and process to identify a young man’s “fastball”.   The good news is we all have a heater and should use it whenever possible.  The bad news is, once we know we’ve got it we have a tendency to think it’s all we need to participate at full capacity in the Adventure.  Not true, not by – as the cowboy says – a gut full.

Young men need “team mates” with other fastballs.   In fact, they need to learn how to depend on others so that they can use their strength in the context of team effort to achieve Harmony and create the greatest impact.

In 1996, DC Comics released a story line entitled “The League of Supermen”.   

Superman had been killed (he came back later of course) and a group of scientists stepped in to fill his role.   They chose to subject themselves to a risky DNA altering therapy that would give each of them one of Superman’s powers.  The experiment worked, but with one flaw.  With each power came a critical corresponding weakness.  Each member of the league carried a nom de guerre that described their strength.  Here are some of their names, their strengths and their weaknesses:

Pounder  

Strength: profoundly strong, with the ability to hoist an entire building if necessary.  Weakness: could not control his strength for normal activities; he had to be spoon fed by a teammate so that he would not break the utensils and plate.

Flyboy

Strength: flight – weakness : he could not control gravity enough to stay on the ground.  His teammates had to harness him to earth every night so that he would not float away.    

Shield

Strength: invulnerability – weakness: no sense of touch, not even a friend’s embrace.  His friends had to constantly encourage him.

See-Through

Strength: x-ray vision – weakness:  blind without special glasses his teammate designed.

All young men are created with strengths; they are also created with weaknesses as a constant reminder that they need each other and cannot engage in the Adventure effectively on their own.  Face it; they wouldn’t want it any other way – and neither would we.