Do You Have a Hidden Superpower?

Posted on Aug 02, 2018 Topic : Men's Christian Living, Women's Christian Living
Posted by : Hope Lyda

You have a superpower that can deepen your relationship with your kid, your family, and every person you meet.

You have the power to ask a question.

Did you just roll your eyes and mutter, “That’s it? What’s the big deal?” Well, that’s an excellent question! This one amazing superpower multiplies and gives you the ability to:

connect with the kid who only mumbles or emojis her communication
glimpse inside the heart and mind of a friend or stranger
appreciate someone who differs from you
know how to pray for someone
practice the holy art of listening while someone shares their deepest self

Jesus was a master of asking questions to examine a person’s heart and make them think about belief, justice, and love. We can do the same as we pose questions to better “see” another’s universe-sized dreams, faith-fostering thoughts, seeds of ideas, and grandest hopes. Toss the “How are you?” “I’m fine” dialogue default so you can spark imaginations and authentic connections.

Use Your Superpower for Good

Try it with your kids. Here are five fun offerings to get you started:

How has God created you to be a person who can make the world a better place?

Your class is ready and waiting. What are you teaching?

What do you want your parents to understand about you?

Are you a poem, a book, a riddle, or a song…how so?

If you could go back in time, which Bible event would you want to experience? Why?

Open-ended questions like these are no small thing. They welcome possibility, truth, and discovery.

Sadly, many children who initially pepper teachers and parents with non-stop “What if…” and “How come…” inquiries will eventually clam up. It’s at the point they stop learning. Or stop caring. Or worse—both. A few years ago, a Newsweek article entitled The Creativity Crisis shed light on an emerging problem among young learners:

By middle school they’ve pretty much stopped asking. It’s no coincidence that this same time is when student motivation and engagement plummet. They didn’t stop asking questions because they lost interest: it’s the other way around. They lost interest because they stopped asking questions. (Newsweek, July 10, 2010)

Your desire to hear the what’s what of a young person’s mind gives them the gift of being known and the invitation to express their superpower of asking questions and staying engaged. They will learn to express ideas, find joy in conundrums, and bond over the fruit of critical and creative thinking.

Whatever age your child is, take time to resurrect and nurture this ability. It will change your relationship. It will change their life.

Embrace your superpower and take it for a spin. Use it to start something amazing—like a conversation with someone you love.

How might this new habit change the world?