The Power Paradox

The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear him, and he makes known to them his covenant. My eyes are ever toward the Lord, for he will pluck my feet out of the net. Psalms 25:14-15

But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them.It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:25-28

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Philippians 2:3-8

You get a chance meeting with a man at a store who seems fairly normal in every way, except he definitely has a different demeanor. He’s kind and gentle and chooses his words carefully. He dresses normal and walks with confidence. When he speaks to you his eyes are always directed straight at you and he speaks with simple clarity. But you really aren’t impressed that he is that rich or powerful. Slowly you become friends over the days and weeks with your ‘chance’ meetings, and eventually he asks you if you would like to come to dinner at his home. You accept graciously and wonder what his place must be like. He gives you his address and later you check your phone to see what his place is like. But his address is hidden and you can’t see what his property looks like. So on the late afternoon of the day you’re supposed to join him for dinner at his place you set out to go to his home. The address leads you out of the city and eventually down a well paved one way road through several gates and over some hills, when you see a massive ranch home in the distance. His estate is like nothing you’ve ever seen before it is so elegant and green with trees and rolling grass hills, with everything extremely well kept. When you finally drive into the driveway you see all sorts of extremely expensive vehicles already parked by the massive garage. You wonder if the man is an employee at this estate. Because his vehicle was a simple white work truck that you always saw him driving.

Then you see him walking towards your car. You get out and he welcomes you with a friendly smile inviting you to walk with him. He takes you between the two buildings into the backyard, and your eyes bug out at the incredible beauty and design of everything. He walks you to an elegantly set table for two overlooking the most beautiful view you’ve ever seen. You learn over dinner he is the son of the individual who owns the entire area – more than you ever thought could be owned by one person. You learn that the man is actually taking care of the entire estate and all of the businesses over an entire global region. As the evening progresses you see more and more and realize that this man is more powerful than anyone you have ever met before. Yet he is humble, kind, gentle, wise, and speaks with so much love. Nothing about this man externally or manner would show how powerful and rich he really is, yet you begin to understand he is beyond the most powerful man you’ve even read about or known.

This little parable must have been like what the first apostles experienced emotionally, over and over as they really learned more and more who Jesus was. Jesus HAS ALL the power and knowledge at His disposal and the more you learn the more He actually has even more power than you can imagine. Like in this parable … the guest began to realize that he was beginning to show this man a greater respect — because of this ‘revelation’ he had about who this man actually is .. and what He could actually do … to him if He really wanted to. This ‘revelation’ brought a ‘healthy’ fear of the power he was currently being brought VERY close to. This is the same feelings one has when the ‘revelation’ hits an individual as to who Jesus really is. A healthy fear and respect of the immense power you are so close to. The more you learn about Jesus the more respect and illumination you have about who He is and what power He actually wields.

An electrician understands better than most what the immense power of a lightning bolt can actually do, just as a spiritually mature individual understands what God can actually do. You learn by being in the proximity and extreme closeness of the actual power.

Yet Jesus uses that ‘power’ with love — and extreme humility. Those who don’t really know Him don’t recognize Him for who He really is, or the power He actually has. People mock Him behind His back as they do His servants not knowing they will actually have to answer to Him someday.

Jesus does not wield His power and authority like the men of this ‘world’ do. His ways are NOT the world’s ways. His manner is NOT like the world’s manner. You never realize His power and authority until you are in very close proximity to it. He allows people to get close to Him .. if they want to. And then you realize you can’t manipulate, or deceive Him, or bribe Him into doing anything you want, and He only honors extreme honesty and transparency. He KNOWS immediately if you are lying or trying to deceive Him, and He lets you know …gently. And more and more you learn of His great power and authority over EVERYTHING.

Jesus truly is the world’s power paradox.