Living In The Light: Money, Sex And PowerSample

Power

When great power is wielded in the pursuit of great good, we stand amazed and rejoice. God has appointed human government, for example, to wield power for good. “Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good” (1 Peter 2 v 13-14). When power is wielded to do justice, we rejoice.

But there is another side to power: “When the wicked rule, the people groan” (Proverbs 29 v 2). Power may pursue great good, but it may also pursue great evil.

And therein lies one of the dangers of power. Morally, it is no better than the goal it pursues. It is a “good” only in the way that a saw is good—and one can use a saw to cut firewood but also to deface an heirloom.

Not only is power dangerous because it can be used to bring about evil, but also because it can be used to exalt the one who has it. Since all humans admire glory, and power can be part of glory, we are all tempted to seek this admiration by getting this power. We love to be admired and praised, and so we bend what power we have toward getting applause. In other words, our power is employed to exalt ourselves. This is a great danger.

Why do all humans have this craving? Because we have all exchanged the glory of God for images (Romans 1 v 23)—especially the one in the mirror. The reason we abuse power is because we do not delight in the glory of God’s right to all power. When we are blind to the glory of God’s passion to be known and loved as the source and sum of all power, we take it for our own, and use it for ourselves. That is not why God created the universe—or us.

• In what situations do you crave power? Who in your life do you particularly crave approval, admiration, praise and applause from?
• What power do you hold? In what ways do you use it for good and just aims? In what ways do you use it to pursue evil ends? In what ways do you use it to exalt yourself and make yourself look good?