Temporary Pain

Wolverine is one of the most popular X-men for a reason. His adamantium skeleton makes him near impervious to harm, his mutant abilities allow him to heal from any other potential injury, and his superhuman senses, fighting skills and razor sharp retractable claws make him the best at what he does. And while hunting down villains and taking them out of the equation may be what he does best, it's not what makes Logan compelling. It doesn't matter how many ninjas, robots, or robot ninjas he takes out, the most fascinating thing about Wolverine isn't his ability to inflict pain, it's his ability to push through it. You may not know it by looking at him, but Logan is pushing one hundred and forty years old. And in that time, the man known as Wolverine has gone through more than his fair share of pain and suffering. Sure, he's made mistakes and often paid dearly for them, but much of what Logan has gone through was due to no fault of his own. In fact, much of the pain Logan has endured over the years has occurred as the result of selflessly fighting for those that couldn't fight for themselves.

A lot of us look at those in need, and ignore them because it might cause us pain. You might say, of course it's easy for Wolverine. He can regenerate from any injuries he might sustain in the battle, and yes, you may be right. But every single blow he receives, Logan feels. His regeneration doesn't stop him from feeling the pain, but he endures it anyways. You see, doing the right thing isn't always pain free. In His most famous sermon, Jesus tells us that sometimes doing the right thing will cause us temporary pain. Fortunately, He doesn't leave us hanging. In Matthew 5:10, He says, "Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." He's telling us that whatever we may lose in pursuit of Him pails in comparison to our reward in eternity.

It may hurt you socially to stick up for the kid everyone picks on. Someone might call you weird for not talking like them. And in other parts of the world you can even be put in jail or worse for sharing your faith -- not to mention what believers have endured over the centuries. But they did it for the same reason you should. "In due season we will reap, if we do not give up." These words found in Galatians ring just as true today as they did two thousand years ago. You may not have mutant powers to heal your wounds, but when you fight for good in the name of He who saves, nothing can hurt you. In fact, Christ's victory over the grave means ultimate regeneration one day. Until that time, Paul's letter to the Corinthians reminds us to not lose heart, "[for] though outwardly we are wasting away, inwardly we are being renewed day by day." You certainly won't be immune to the pain of this world, but like Logan, no matter what knocks you down, you'll always be able to get back up.