Super Hero Names

My buddies and I actually have comic book names for each other.  Kind of like super hero names.  But instead of the name reflecting on a super amazing attribute of our character – it focuses instead on a somewhat negative (or humorous)  attribute.  It seriously makes me laugh just thinking about it.  

Matt is known as the Morpher.  He’s one of my best friends and I’ve known him forever.  He tends to go the extreme of whatever he is doing at the time.  And he tends to turn into the personalities that surround him.  If he hangs out with religious people, he becomes religious.  If he hangs out with stoners, he becomes a stoner.  If he’s at work too much, life’s all about work.  If he’s at play too much – everything is play.  Lately he’s become talk radio.  He morphes into whatever he’s exposed to.  In some ways, he’s a walking reflection of what’s going on in his life.  My buddy Dylan and I laugh about it.

Dylan is known as Ultimate Rage Boy.  I witnessed this first hand with him and his brother.  He used to get so angry at his brother – I thought veins would burst out of his neck.  Dylan’s the type of guy that will be late to every meeting you have with him – but if you’re 5 minutes late to his meeting – yer on his shit list.  It’s so stinkin’ funny.  One instant he’ll have ultimate rage – the next he’ll be drawing cartoons - he’s definitely one of my most creative friends.  

He’s also the Story Teller.  His stories are sooooo funny!! – and unbelievable.  If he could capture the stories he tells in a book, I’d be the first to buy it.   I never laugh harder than when I listen to his stories.  In fact, the last time I cried from laughter, I was listening to one of his crazy tales about this mean boss that literally crapped his pants while they were working.  

I’m not sure their super hero/comic book name for me.  They’ve never shared it if I have one.  I have a couple guesses.  

One might be the Vanisher.  I can be very present in people’s lives, but then can disappear like I never existed.  It’s part of my introverted personality.  I can be alone for days at a time and hardly even notice.  It doesn’t mean that people aren’t in my thoughts and prayers – it just means I’m not actually present in their lives.  This is definitely a relational aspect of my life that I need to get better at.  I could see them giving me some kind of nickname like that. 

More likely it’s Jerk.  It’s a nickname that I picked up in high school and now carry around with pride.  It has to do with my first name being Jer – and my last name starting with a K.  Jer (k).  I think it’s opposite to my personality, but - maybe not???  It’s nice to start off being known as a jerk because people’s idea of who you are can only go up from there. 

It could also be known as the Talker.  I can talk people’s ears off sometimes because I can’t stop thinking in my alone times and when my mouth opens up with friends - my thoughts come rushing out.  My mind just doesn’t stop - it’s annoying!  Verbal diarrhea can often be the result.  I’m definitely a verbal processor and my patient friends are often on the receiving end of that mess.  haha.

We all have both positive and negative attributes.  It’s how we’re wired. 

One of my favorites is a reflectional attribute that everyone on the planet shares.  We are sons and daughters of the King.  And not just any King - but the one that touches the other side of the universe at this very moment.  People reflect His goodness all the time in a rainbow of colors.  It’s truly awesome.  And He has nicknames for us as well.  I wonder what they are??

Jesus gave nicknames in the scriptures.  Peter (the one who denied Him, and excluded non-jews from fellowship even after the resurrection) was known as the “Rock.”  I think that’s funny.  While there’s the whole “potential” perspective (which Peter strived to live up to) - there’s also God’s humor.  Peter was anything but a rock.

I’m naturally a ditcher.  If things get hard - I’m out!  I avoid conflict like the plague.  God’s nickname for me probably has something to do with being steady and faithful.  hahaha.

Matt’s is probably something about his individualism.  Something like “One of a kind” or “Diamond in the rough.”  

Dylan’s is probably “Calm Ocean” or some such soothing nickname. 

God definitely sees stuff inside of us that we can’t see.  But He’s also just plain funny.  And He’s at work! 

Two of Jesus’ friends were known as “sons of thunder”.  One of them became known as the apostle of love - John.  Transformation.  Hmmm.  Kinda like the caterpillar and the butterfly.

I wonder what we’re turning into??

Fun thoughts...

What do you think God’s nickname is for you?  What’s your super hero name?

Jer