Power Revisited

I knew that I wrote a blog entry on Power once before, but my how time flies. It was two years ago, nearly to the day. And yet here I am again, noodling over the same word.

It doesn't really look like I have that much to say here that is terribly different from what I wrote then. Once again, the Apostle Paul has me running hard (to catch up with him). Be that as it may, I think it's worth repeating the experience, so that these words will linger in my heart and maybe the idea sink in a bit deeper.

Here's what set my mind into motion. Our pastor shared a benediction yesterday which consisted of this reading:

Colossians 1:9-12
For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light.

My ears perked up at the mention of (yes, you guessed it) Power.

Because, as I mentioned earlier, I've been noodling over what is meant by that word for literally several years now. What does a really powerful man do? What does a really powerful man of God do?

Sidebar question #1: Are they different questions? In practice of course they are... Powerful men run Washington, D.C. and powerful men of God run soup kitchens. Right? But from the eyes of eternity I'm pretty sure both questions have only one answer. Many men who look powerful to our earth-clad eyeballs are as nothing on God's scales. I don't actually think that there are many powerful men in Washington, D.C.

But what does a really powerful man of God do?

Sidebar question #2: I've been saying "man" because I'm male. What about women? Pressed on the point, I'd in fact hazard a guess that, from eternity's perspective, the balance of true power lies more with women than with men. But here I get ahead of myself again, because I've not yet gotten to what really powerful people do. We kinda need that part worked out before we can look around and see who's doing it.

So, again, to the original question. What does a really powerful man of God do? Ah, but that's what make this set of verses so much fodder for reflection.

…being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might…

Right about now we’re ready for the 3-D special effects movie, waiting for the power to do amazing things and leave the world in awe of our POWERFUL God… and yet what does the rest of the verse indicate all this power will enable us to do?

“…so that you man have great endurance and patience…”

Endurance and patience. Those are not the first words that come to mind, are they? Infinite power of God within me… so that I can bear up and be patient.

Not the stuff of movies.

But maybe it’s time that my vision of “what God’s up to” be more divorced from western notions of power (and entertainment).

Endurance and patience. You know, if we were forced to pick a person to embody those traits, who might we remember?

Well, to be honest? Mother Teresa comes to mind for me.

And I don't think that's a fluke. Not a fluke on either count. She's the living embodiment of non-Washington and non-male. A woman with no earthly trappings of power.

Female and frail.

It's not what I had in mind when I hoped to be a man of God twenty years ago. Or ten years ago. Or five. But more and more I believe that my great calling... my highest calling... the way God wants to show His almighty power through me... lies in how I bear my crosses.

My heart wants to make a difference for God by throwing off crosses. Not simply my own, of course (how noble of me...) but also the crosses of others.

And of course God does want us to pursue justice and mercy. He does want us to work to make the world a better place. To speak for those who have no voice.

But a little voice in my head says that the most powerful witness to God, and the most powerful testimony I can give to men of his work in my life, is not in how I do all these wonderful things for other people.

No. The most powerful witness I can bear is how I bear my crosses. And thanks to four gospels I know how Jesus carried his cross.

There is a time for words. A time for argument. A time for civil disobedience. A time to take a stand.

But then there is a time to carry one's cross. And speak no words. The world has never been the same since Jesus carried his cross. Now that was power.