I just walked out of the new Spier-Man movie. 

Wow. 

Now, let me preface by saying that I am a die hard Spider-Man fan. Growing up, Tobey Maguire’s Spider-Man movie was the first super hero movie that I got to watch and it changed my life. I have countless childhood pictures of myself with Spider-Man toys, t-shirts, and costumes. So like I said, lifelong fan. 

And yet, this particular movie struck a different cord with me. It isn't a Christian movie (duh) and I wouldn’t necessarily take my three year old daughter to see it, nor am I someone who always tries to Christianize everything. And yet, it left an impact on me in a very Christian way. 

Without spoiling anything, it is a movie about the need for community. In Tom Holland’s movie before this, everyone that he loves and has spent his life with has lost the memory of him, and where this one picks up is years after this instance, and Peter is lonely, depressed, and confused. He is showing up, fighting crime, and putting in the work, but something is deeply off in his life. He is famous, known, and successful as a superhero, and yet… he is alone. 

And throughout the movie, as Peter moves towards community in little and big ways, he is reminded of who he is and is given hope to continue to fight another day, and there is so much truth packed into this story for all of us, no matter who we are. 

You need people. 

You were not meant to do this life alone. 

You were designed for people. 

Your faith, your gifts, your life, is not just for you. 

If you are a follower of Jesus, you exist for others. You exist to serve, pour yourself out, and love God first and foremost, and then those around you. 

And the upside down Kingdom truth of all of this, is that actually as you begin to pick your eyes up off of yourselves, and shift your focus on to those around you, you actually begin to truly live. 

As you “forget” about yourself and begin to use your gifts, story, weaknesses, and life to encourage and love those around you, you will begin to discover the fullness of life that Jesus promises us (John 10:10). You will truly begin to notice the adventure of a lifetime that is following Jesus daily. You begin to not ruminate on your problems, emotions, and negative thoughts (not that they are invalid) and instead your mind begins to be full of how you can do more, give more, and love those around you more. 

And as you walk in this process of “self forgetfulness” more and more, you are filled with hope and joy unlike you’ve ever known. You wake up every morning with an excitement and hope for the day and the opportunities that await you at every turn.

You begin to understand that you are on mission to reach the world around you. You realize that you are a representation of Jesus in all that you say and do and you truly see every day as a brand new day for God to do whatever He wants to do in and through your life. 

I’ll end with some words from the writer of Hebrews… 

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24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
Hebrews 10:24-25