July 16, 2012 The Seductive Power of Position

I Chronicles 17:16 King David went in and sat before the Lord and prayed, "Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my family, that you have brought me thus far?

Prov. 19:11 People with good sense restrain their anger; they earn esteem by overlooking wrongs.

David finally got it - he recognized his own weakness, his own poverty of soul apart from God. But unfortunately he learned it the hard way - by his own failure. As King, he used his power to manipulate the Army, his intention to kill the husband of the woman he had lusted after and seduced. His actions had consequences and caused him great pain.

We should all learn from what happened to David, his misuse of power cost him the lives, ultimately, of some of his children. Yet we fail to learn, personally, and corporately. We seldom talk about the seduction of power. You don't have to be a king to have power, you only have to have people who look to you for influence, for care, for some kind of security, and seduction lays in wait with the attentive glances of those who look to you.

Recently the news media have been full of the story of men who exercised power over children and then other men - to keep them quiet. Ultimately many men in power, seduced by that power and the concept that they have a reputation as powerful and "good," were responsible for the horrible and life changing abuse of a number of vulnerable children.

We might think that would never happen to us - we would never cover abuse, nor would we abuse, but is that true? How far are we from using our power in any way to make the point that we have power? Angry, we hurt people with our words and actions, and look away, rather than back with the humility necessary to make it right. Indignant, and perhaps in self-defense and our own guilt, we point out the sins and short-comings of others.

The abuse of power is so seductive that perhaps it is one of the most pervasive and secret sins of the believer. The pastor, the deacon, the Sunday School teacher who uses his or her power to get his or her way; the parent, the sibling, the teacher, the administrator who finds it easier to look at a situation only from the perspective of his or her own gain...abusers of power.

Oh God, help me and those in my world at BBC to catch ourselves when the seduction of power comes calling. May you find us instead people with good sense who in deed and word, love all of those around us looking to find you in us.