Power Power

During the late 1800s and early 1900s a demonically led radical transition occurred throughout Western Civilization.  It was far too complex to fully discuss here.  (The subject would make a great focal point for a Doctoral Dissertation.)  In essence, the secular humanist embracing of the religion of evolution and rejection of the inspiration of Scripture left a society without a moral rudder.  This precipitated the demise of valuing people based upon their characters.  This opened the door to such doctrines as Dale Carnegie's How to Win Friends and Influence People, a guide book for manipulating people by creating appearances in order to seduce their approval.  We moved from promotion based on character to promotion based on appearances.  Recognizing this transition makes the modern political and economic chaos make perfect sense.

Another corollary result of this transition has been an enhanced desire for persons to accumulate personal power.  This power gathering is rarely for the purpose of more effectively serving others.  Rather it is an accumulation of power for pride.  When we no longer value personal honor and character personal pride and self image become the focal point of our existence.  In 1776 a group of political leaders unanimously signed a public document of international diplomacy guaranteeing it with a pledge of their "sacred honor."  Today it is difficult to find leaders either in politics or even in the institutions calling themselves the church who demonstrate any honor sacred or secular.  Expediency, compromise, and the illusions of power are readily noticed but "sacred honor," what is that?

While these macro changes in our "civilization" have been occurring, personal changes have followed suit.  Many sociologic discussions make reference to the weakening of the nuclear family unit.  But visiting in people's homes reveals that most of the families are not units at all.  Rather they are battlefields contesting who will hold the power.  Husbands seek to dominate wives by loud noises and imposed fear.  Wives seek to manipulate husbands by controlling the flow of information, sexual favors, and attacks upon the man's self-image.  Parents individually and jointly seek to dominate the children.  Children assert their independence from parents by emotional withdrawal, deception and rebellion.  Children seek to dominate each other by bullying and imitation of the same tactics they watch in their parents.  The marvel is not how many teenaged pregnancies we face but how few.

What is the highest goal in any human organization?  It is to be perceived as the one in charge, the one who controls and influences others.  

William P. Young in his marvelous book, The Shack, helps us come to grips with many concepts about the three in one nature of  God.  Outside the Bible, this book is a better source for understanding the character of God than anything else I have seen in more than 50 years of walking with Jesus.  It is a little slow in the first 60 pages but then it becomes a really fun read for anyone who wants to come to a real friendship with the whole of God.  It is fiction not theology but it is wonderful.

At page 122 of The Shack its main character Mack is responding as each of the three persons of God act like they cannot comprehend his question.

"You know what I am talking about." Mack was a little frustrated.  "I am talking about who is in charge. Don't you have a chain of command?"

"....  (Holy Spirit begins to explain.)  ... we have no concept of final authority among us, only unity.  We are in a circle of relationship, not a chain of command .... What you are seeing here is relationship without any overlay of power. .... Humans are so lost and damaged that to you it is almost incomprehensible that people could work or live together without someone being in charge." ....

"It is one reason why experiencing relationship is so difficult for you," Jesus added. ....

(Holy Spirit continued,) .... Authority, as you usually think of it, is merely the excuse the strong use to make others conform to what they want."

In the Bible, however, Jesus made it very plain that leadership is not to be by power or authority.  We are not to take titles of power or authority like father or teacher or head of the family or head of the church.  Rather, we are to conduct ourselves as servants empowering others and setting them free.  We are to use the power and authority He has given us over demons to assist other people rather than trying to assert power or authority over people.

The husband who loves his wife as Christ loves the true Church, His Bride, is not trying to control her.  He is absolving her of all blame and empowering her to follow what she has heard Papa God lead her to do.  The Pastor who loves his flock as Jesus loves is the man who humbly takes on the form of a servant not the form of a leader.  He humbly lets his life be open and seen so that people can follow his faith not his flesh.  He is not afraid to admit to his failures and weaknesses.  He never commands.  He loves and sets people free to follow the voice of the Great Shepherd as they hear Him not as the pastor interprets Him.

Beloved let us love one another. For love is of God.

His, thus Yours,

Stuart