Nov 6, 2022
Superman: Identifying Your Kryptonite and Knowing What Battles You Mustn’t Fight
and the ones you must never meet…
Growing up, I wanted to become Superman.
I would imagine myself flying in the clouds with my fists clenched as I swerved in the air with my cape flapping behind me. I would literally feel the wind on my skin as I immersed myself in my imagination.
Superman, in my opinion, was a Super Man. He could do anything, stand up to anyone, and be anywhere he wanted to be in the world.
I wanted that to be my life. I wanted to be the unbeatable guy who could overcome anything or anyone.
But something ten-year-old me never really grasped was the significance of Superman having a weakness. Superman couldn’t stand kryptonite.
Why would the world’s strongest superhero have a weakness?
If anything, Superman was supposed to be the archetype of flawlessness, strength, and superiority. He was supposed to be the ten out of ten guys.
Ten-year-old me was not so bothered about the significance of this aspect of Superman’s makeup. All I was interested in was the action and the drama.
But as I grew older, I better understood the significance of that little twist in the tale.
You see, Superman was a man. That alone makes a world of difference.
While attending a conference yesterday, the keynote speaker, Dr. Bassey, said, “In life, you have got to know what battles you are not meant to fight.”
Know What Battles You Are Not To Fight
The more I think about those words, the more I appreciate their profoundness.
In life, we would all face battles. You and I suit up in our capes as we confront the chaos, evil, and uncertainties of daily life. We are all Supermen with unique strengths, skills, and special abilities.
But, regardless of our superhero capabilities, there are battles we cannot fight. We must not.
These are battles that are intentionally designed to exploit your weaknesses. These battles diffuse your superpowers, drain you of your divinity, and expose you as a mere man.
You are not meant to fight these battles. You are meant to flee from them.
Common sense is knowing that you will fight battles. But wisdom is knowing what battles are not to be fought.
- What is your kryptonite?
- What are the things that diffuse your superpowers?
- What associations reduce you to a mere man?
- What environment keeps you from flying and reaching for the stars?
To answer these questions, you must put off your superman cape for a little while and interact with the man inside of you. Humbly, you must seek to understand and know him intimately.
Common sense is knowing that you will fight battles in life. But wisdom knows what battles are not to be fought. It is my prayer that you will be wise.
To your eternal greatness!
