POWER

By Katherine Leary Alsdorf

Many of us know what the third temptation of Jesus was - the temptation to power.  “I will give you all the kingdoms of this world and their splendor,” the devil said to Jesus.  Jesus turned him down, saying “For it is written, ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’” (Matthew 4:8-11)

The temptation to power lures each of us daily, especially in our work lives but probably in every single human interaction. We all have power. Exploiting the power we have is an abuse of power. Squandering the power we have is also an abuse of power.  It’s so complicated that we’d just rather not talk about it. We seldom even talk to God about it, unless we’re asking for more.

Andy Crouch, the Gospel & Culture speaker on November 21, 2010, has been exploring the topic of POWER in conversations with Christians around the country for the past year.  What causes or enables power?  Why don’t Christians want to discuss it? How does power shape us? What privilege comes with power?  How do we use it and abuse it?  How do we think about power in light of how Jesus claimed it and used it.

In the book of Esther we see a woman who unsuspectingly finds herself in a position to exercise power on behalf of all the people of Israel.  In the famous “for such a time as this” speech (Esther 4:14), Esther’s benefactor uncle appeals to her to risk her life and approach the King in order to beg for mercy to be shown to her people.  In fact, we’re left to understand that God must have put her in the palace and given her the favor of the King for exactly this moment.  We’re all in positions of power of some sort.  For what purpose?  I hope you’ll join us on November 21^st to think a bit more deeply about the power you hold and why God may have chosen to give it to you.