What is your superpower?

No seriously! … While I’m not talking X-ray vision or flying, what I mean is: What superpower did our creator endow you with?

You have them, regardless if you’ve never intentionally thought about it. … I promise!

I was at a board retreat this week when we were asked about our superpowers. We were required to come up with an answer, with the prompt that we could borrow skills or traits that others have complimented us on.

A difficult task, right? Who is comfortable thinking about themselves and declaring to others, “Yes, I have a superpower!” … Not very Midwestern behavior, now is it?

But the truth is that the Creator of the universe gifted you a very specific set of skills, traits and talents. And, yes, even the humblest of folks were bestowed with gifts.

At the training, I noted that I am grateful for my ability to listen. I mean, actually listen to others. In an age that rewards whoever is the loudest, most vocal, most boisterous, I truly believe that we listeners can be a glue in our communities. If I might shed modesty for a moment, I consider that a super power.

What’s the point of all this? … Am I just aiming to make you feel good? … Not specifically. But if affirming that you indeed are special and uniquely created boosts your self worth … well, we’ll call that the cherry on top!

Rather, my aim is to remind each of us that we play a uniquely important role in this tapestry we call creation, which is part of ultimate grand design. And it takes each of us with our special super powers to create a community that allows everyone to prosper.

In our board training, we were discussing what everyone brought to the table to help our faith-based mission to thrive. Truth: On our board we need people with different super powers. Because heaven knows there are a great many things I’m not an expert in. That is where the community steps in!

These discussions made me think that our neighborhoods, our companies we work for, our schools, our communities themselves, are no different. We need each uniquely created individual to bring their spiritually gifted super powers to the table. And when we exclude anyone, we’re only hurting ourselves.

The Apostle Paul described this at the collective Body of Christ, right? You’re the foot; I’m a hand; someone else is the head. But we all contribute to Christ’s mission.

However, I think in our pursuits to glorify the individual that we’ve lost sight of this faith concept as a society, and we’d be well served to think about what every neighbor brings to the table versus why my spiritual gifts are more superior. Amen.

Devlyn Brooks is the CEO of Churches United in Moorhead, Minn., and an ordained pastor in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America serving Faith Lutheran Church in Wolverton, Minn. He blogs about faith at findingfaithin.com, and can be reached at devlynbrooks@gmail.com