The new Ms. Marvel, a teenage girl named Kamala Khan, is my favorite superhero. This may seem odd because I am a white American Christian, and she is a Pakistani American Muslim. On the surface, we are radically different, but upon reading her story, I have discovered myself. A bright girl who loves video games and comics, Kamala is teased for her parents’ strict religious rules. She struggles to find her identity while feeling torn in vastly separate directions. Because of this, Ms. Marvel has some of the most interesting, realistic, and relatable crises I have seen in the comic world.
In a backlash of events from Civil War II, Kamala loses everything dear to her. Her best friend is injured by her bad choices and never wants to see her again, even when she tries to make things right. She fought against her idol, the original Ms. Marvel, and knows she will never win back her trust. All this because the girl is trying to do what she believes is right. In an attempt to put herself back together, Kamala visits family in Pakistan and meets Kareem, a family friend. It turns out, Pakistan is not the peaceful haven she needs, for people are blowing up water supplies to inflate the prices.
In a backlash of events from Civil War II, Kamala loses everything dear to her. Her best friend is injured by her bad choices and never wants to see her again, even when she tries to make things right. She fought against her idol, the original Ms. Marvel, and knows she will never win back her trust. All this because the girl is trying to do what she believes is right. In an attempt to put herself back together, Kamala visits family in Pakistan and meets Kareem, a family friend. It turns out, Pakistan is not the peaceful haven she needs, for people are blowing up water supplies to inflate the prices.
This discussion between Kamala and Kareem is a turning point for her superhero life, but it can also serve as a call for Christians, as well. The first verse of the song “Do Something” by Matthew West is a portrait which is too true of the church today. We get frustrated at God for not healing the sick or helping the poor when we do not want to give for the cause.
From the beginning of time, God has given the world to humans. Genesis 1:28 says, “Then God blessed them and said, ‘Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground.” In the next verse, He gives them all the plants for food. Before the Fall, it was our job to take care of the earth.
Now, we have an even bigger responsibility. Christians are tasked with showing the world God’s love: feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting the prisoner (Matt. 34:36-45). The Old Testament constantly speaks of aiding widows, orphans, and foreigners. God does not need us to do these works, but He asks it of us. We bring people to Him by showcasing His love, and we cannot do this if we refuse to act.
Sometimes, we may feel we are too broken. We say, “I cannot be any use to God until I figure out my own life.” Spiritual maturity is important for ministry, but a lack of spiritual feeling cannot be an excuse for refusing to obey God’s commands. Since He asks this of us, God must know we are stronger than we believe. “Now may the God of peace… equip you with all you need for doing his will. May he produce in you, through the power of Jesus Christ, every good thing that is pleasing to him” (Heb. 13:20a-21a). Nothing we do for the Kingdom of God can be done in our own power. The writer of Hebrews knew this and added, “All glory to him forever and ever! Amen” at the end of this exhortation (Heb. 13:21b).
Kamala ran from her problems. She thought she needed to fix herself before she could continue being a hero. She realizes, though, that as broken as she is, helping others completes her. Christians cannot stop walking in love because we are broken and weak. On the contrary, this weakness turns us to God, and we discover it is His power we needed all along. Only then will we be prepared “to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with [our] God” (Micah 6:8b).
From the beginning of time, God has given the world to humans. Genesis 1:28 says, “Then God blessed them and said, ‘Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground.” In the next verse, He gives them all the plants for food. Before the Fall, it was our job to take care of the earth.
Now, we have an even bigger responsibility. Christians are tasked with showing the world God’s love: feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting the prisoner (Matt. 34:36-45). The Old Testament constantly speaks of aiding widows, orphans, and foreigners. God does not need us to do these works, but He asks it of us. We bring people to Him by showcasing His love, and we cannot do this if we refuse to act.
Sometimes, we may feel we are too broken. We say, “I cannot be any use to God until I figure out my own life.” Spiritual maturity is important for ministry, but a lack of spiritual feeling cannot be an excuse for refusing to obey God’s commands. Since He asks this of us, God must know we are stronger than we believe. “Now may the God of peace… equip you with all you need for doing his will. May he produce in you, through the power of Jesus Christ, every good thing that is pleasing to him” (Heb. 13:20a-21a). Nothing we do for the Kingdom of God can be done in our own power. The writer of Hebrews knew this and added, “All glory to him forever and ever! Amen” at the end of this exhortation (Heb. 13:21b).
Kamala ran from her problems. She thought she needed to fix herself before she could continue being a hero. She realizes, though, that as broken as she is, helping others completes her. Christians cannot stop walking in love because we are broken and weak. On the contrary, this weakness turns us to God, and we discover it is His power we needed all along. Only then will we be prepared “to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with [our] God” (Micah 6:8b).