A Lesson from X-Men 22

Greetings Warriors and Scholars!

Found at the X-Men Wiki

Recently, I have been looking into the Marvel Masterworks series. This series pulled together some great older comics from the 1960s and 70s. Each issue has around 10 monthly adventures in proper order. I have 3 of the issues in black covers. The Amazing Spiderman #8(out of 16), The Fantastic Four #6(out of 15), and most recently The X-Men #3(out of 8). I have a long way to go!

One of the interesting plots was in X-Men #22 from July 1966. We start by watching our favorite mutants in the Danger Room fighting a robot created by Professor Xavier to help them learn to overcome artificial enemies. They defeat it within the given 5 minutes using teamwork. Then Professor X sends them out for a vacation. Of course, things go wrong as a series of villians lure them to Central Park in NYC and deal with them one at a time...and winning. These villains were some b and c stock villains from old Marvel issues that were not very good on their own. Yet together they formed a far more powerful team. This was an interesting look at how Mutants need each other and how even with powers they couldn't handle all things alone.

Eventually, in the next issue, the X-Men win. But only after they have gotten back to teamwork and dealt with the foe behind the villainous team.

In America we tend to like individuality. We focus on it to a point where culture and individuals suffer because we don't really cooperate together. This is not how God tells us to operate. He gave Moses the help of Aaron and then Joshua to help him. He gave David his "mighty men", a group of 30 men who went on special missions for him and may have had a certain following of their own right. Jesus chose 12 disciples to follow Him closely and build up the Church. He also sent them and others out 2 by 2 instead of sending them out alone.

While discussing perseverance, Hebrews 11:24-25 tells us:

"and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another..."

Then, in Hebrews 11 we are reminded of a "cloud of witnesses" in the form of dozens of heroes from the Old Testament who have gone before us. In fact, the writer admits that he doesn't have time to tell us all the stories he wants to share with us.

Do you have a Christian community you are a part of? I am not merely talking about sitting in a seat hearing a sermon once a week, but a group you share life with that encourages you in faith. A group you can serve with, to, and be served by in your faith.

In other words, who do you have that is a fellow X-Man/X-Woman with you?

Continutiy

So what do you think of the difference between Marvel's approach to cinema/tv and DC's approach?  I enjoy having all the connectivity that we have between Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., the One-Shots, the movies, and the approaching Netflix series. DC is decidedly different. Arrow seems to be a different universe than Man of Steel, although I have wondered if one of these was "Earth 1" and the other (probably Arrow) was "Earth 2" or another universe in a "multiverse".

In life we tend to separate groups and teams the way DC is.  I can think of two examples of this.  The first is denominational-ism.  Now, there are some good things about denominations.  They can share resources, cooperate to better send out missionaries, and grow together.  But there is the downside that comes with it.  We tend to see our group as fully separate entity from others. Yet we are one.  Ephesians 4:5 says there is "one faith, one lord, one baptism."  We are all on the same team.

The other area is that of the Angels vs. the Believers.  We humans don't exactly see ourselves as the same as the angels.  They have powers, admission to the Throne Room, and view points of history we do not have. In Revelation 22 when John was toward the end of his vision of heaven, he saw an angel and started to bow to it.  The angel said "Do not do it!  I am just a fellow servant with you and your fellow prophets."  Did you know that you and the angels are on one team together?

We are all in one universe. God loves us all equally and offers grace and hope equally.  So what can we do to cooperate together?  We can pray for each other. We can help each other. Sometimes we do this without even knowing it!  The Holy Spirit will coordinate all our efforts. We just have to be obedient and open to what He wants.