Power Predicaments - Part 5

DAILY BYTE

Yesterday, we discussed how keeping Jesus as our constant example in all things (through worship) would help us to remember to pursue love rather than power.

The second suggestion I would like to make is really practical. In the area of relationships, instead of trying to take a step up, help others up. Serve each other!

Remember what Jesus said: ‘Whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be a slave of all.’

We defeat our tendencies towards power and pride as a way of life by serving one another! When we reach out to our fellow human beings with acts of compassionate giving, we actively BEAT BACK selfishness and the innate admiration of power that our society has taught us.

We can serve each other in many different ways, but primarily when we refuse to rank each other in any way whatsoever, and instead learn to treat one another equally – as brothers and sisters.

Not only that, but because acts of real servant hood remove selfishness from the soul, we are then more clearly able to hear and obey God. There’s less of us getting in the way and so conversely there’s more of God.

The gaining of power is sometimes unavoidable – we defeat power not necessarily by avoiding it or resigning from positions of authority but rather by letting go of the temptation to use our positions to benefit only ourselves. Instead, we should seek to use any power and influence to EMPOWER others. We should seek to lift others up rather than using them as stepping stones.

On Monday we noted that untold misery has been caused by individuals seeking God-like power (remember the temptation of Adam and Eve to ‘be like God’). Yet through Jesus – the human face of God – we learn that God isn’t actually into power for power’s sake at all.
God is the most powerful being in the universe and yet values love to the point he gave up all his power.
Therefore, as strange as it may seem to you, as upside down & inside out a thought it may be, we are never more LIKE God ... God-like ... LIKE God, than when we humbly learn to serve each other.

PRAY AS YOU GO

O Lord, help us to understand what it really means to be God-like. Help us to learn to actively serve one another. In the name of the servant King Jesus. Amen.

FOCUS READING

Philippians 2:5-11 (NIV)

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.