With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility

Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 1 Corinthians 12:7 (NIV)

Once upon a time my son came home from middle school and told me there’d been a Reward Day-type assembly, where they were giving away some really cool stuff.

At one point, a teacher put all the students’ names into a huge bucket in order to draw one name for the biggest prize of all!

“I know you’re only supposed to use special powers for good,” my son said, “But if I had special powers, I would’ve been tempted to stop time just before the teacher called out the winner. And I would have gone up and put my own name in her hand.”

My first thought was, “Wow, that really would be cool!” But, trying to be a responsible father, what I said out loud was, yes, we should only use special powers for the good of others. As that great theologian, Spiderman, says: “With great power comes great responsibility.”

But then my ADD brain started pinging like a pinball wizard running wild in the arcade (OK, I’m showing my age). As Jesus-ones, we do have a special power. Truth says we have the most special power of all planted deep within us, and it’s the Holy Spirit.

Paul, the Blind Man of Damascus Road, says we’ve been given special power for the common good.

So I guess it is possible you could render the Greek: “With great power comes great responsibility!”

Jon Walker