Fear and Power

 

I'm reading (by ear, via audiobook as I drive) the Harry Potter books.  This is part of what I read this morning:

“Voldemort himself created his worst enemy, just as tyrants everywhere do! Have you any idea how much tyrants fear the people they oppress? All of them realize that, one day, amongst their many victims, there is sure to be one who rises against them and strikes back!”  ― J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

For those who haven't read the book, Voldemort is a dark wizard, who does cruel and evil acts, and who craves power.  Harry is his enemy, and Harry's greatest power is that he is able to love others.

Think for a moment about tyrants.  A quick google search reveals that the defining characteristic of tyrants is that they are cruel and oppressive leaders.  How does it change the dynamic to consider that they act out of fear?  If you think about tyrants you have seen or may know - it might be the bully down the street, the dictator in another country, the boss whose actions do nothing to support those he supervises, or (dare I say) the president in the Oval Office (or wherever he is right now) - how does it change your perception of them to see their motivation for their evil acts as fear.

Fear of what? Fear of losing power.  Fear of consequences. Fear of humiliation. Fear of being exposed as being not what they claim to be.  Fear.

Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff— they comfort me. (Psalm 23:4)

The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? (Psalm 27:1)

you whom I took from the ends of the earth,

    and called from its farthest corners,

saying to you, “You are my servant,

    I have chosen you and not cast you off”;

10 do not fear, for I am with you,

    do not be afraid, for I am your God;

I will strengthen you, I will help you,

    I will uphold you with my victorious right hand. (Isaiah 41:9-10)

I only list three of the many exhortations in the Bible to not be afraid.  God is with us.  Our greatest power is our ability to love. 

Power

Last week, Rev. Barry Moll delivered the meditation at the Advent luncheon I attended.  It was based on Mary's song, the Magnificat.  This is the second half of the song:

51 He has shown strength with his arm;
   he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
52 He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,
   and lifted up the lowly;
53 he has filled the hungry with good things,
   and sent the rich away empty.
54 He has helped his servant Israel,
   in remembrance of his mercy,
55 according to the promise he made to our ancestors,
   to Abraham and to his descendants for ever.’   (Luke 1:51-55)

Barry says that the Magnificat turns power inside out by the love of God.  What does that mean?

He said that if you have power, as a Christian, you are supposed to give it away.  We are to use the power we have to fight for justice, for love and to speak for those who do not have a voice (giving them power).

Have you ever done that?  Have I?

I wonder if the questions we need to ask ourselves are rather simple?  What power do I have?  How can I give that power away?

Barry says that our problem is not that we don't think this kind of life would work, but that if we live that way, we think we will become powerless ourselves.  Are we afraid of living the way God intends?

Thoughts I need to consider.

Dropsy

Today I read Chapter 14 of the book of Luke. The chapter starts with a description of the healing of a man with dropsy.  This is why I love Study Bibles.  The notes in my Bible (The New Interpreters' Study Bible) tell me that dropsy was the swelling of the body due to an excess of fluid --what we would call generalized edema.  In that time, it was used as a "metaphorical label for the greedy."  A person with dropsy would crave water in spite of the fact that their bodies were filled with fluid.  In this opening passage, Jesus heals a man with dropsy.

Luke is a wonderful writer.  In the sections that follow, he tells us about Jesus counseling dinner attendees to choose a place of low honor at a banquet instead of lusting after (my words) the places of honor and prestige at the table.  Jesus tells those gathered to invite the poor and marginalized to meals rather than those who can "return the favor."  He tells a story of a person having a great dinner.  All those he invited turned him down, so he angrily sends his servant to gather the outcast and bring them to the meal.  The chapter ends with Jesus discussing the cost of discipleship.

Are we like the man with dropsy?  Are we swollen with our need for prestige and power, and yet we crave it with an insatiable desire?  I think one of the messages of this passage is that Jesus stands ready to heal us -- to make us whole and well.  At the same time, he points to those who have nothing, and tells us to minister to them.  To take it even a step further, perhaps in this service, we will find our healing from Christ.

Power Unimaginable

I was reading a Disciplines devotional this past week. The author was discussing Mark 4:35-41. Read verse 39:

He woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace! Be still!" Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm.

The author of the devotional said to notice the power -- Jesus calmed the sea and the storm.

Do we forget sometimes? Do we fail to remember the Power of God? I think I do. I think I take him for granted -- that he's in my head when I pray. I think I forget that he's the creator of the universe, and I fail to imagine the Power.

Power to stop storms. Power to save. Power to love in an unimaginable way. Power to divide the sea and unite those who argue. Power to lead a whale to eat a prophet and to lead a ragtag group of church members to remember the Christ when they eat bread and drink "wine." Power to die and power to live again.

Power unimaginable.