Power versus Humility

essay/note on the topic of humility and how it relates to power and love

Pride, Power, Sin and humility

James E. Benthin

03-24-2014

In society today there is a desire to move to something more- - to something greater.  There seems to be great emphasis on position, status and place even between men and women.  All humans beings have this calling, this desire; because we are made for perfection, for eternity, to be with an eternal  God and be with Him.   Mankind was made to seek out this but we seek these things from a world that has less to offer than the LORD’s currency of the Kingdom of Heaven.  We replace this desire in perhaps in our pursuit of academics, in the workplace, politics, governments, entertainment, authority, leadership and even within the church.  For an individual to me more is to have others be less; Christ spoke about this, that we should consider others greater than our selves, to love others as Christ loved the church.  It is my proposal that people are not generally drawn to acts of humility and service otherwise a greater desire for serving and being humble would sweep our community, state, country  and the world.  Perhaps it’s just me but there is something wrong with the desire of power, status, position and authority, it rahter reminds me of the intro to the Lord of the Rings; “men above all else desire power and greed”.  Lady Galadriel intro to Fellowship of the Ring. 

 

Par 1 Pride

“Twice the pride, double the fall”.  Count Duuku Episode III Star Wars Revenge of the Sith.  Before we can get to power we must first start this dialogue before the fall of man in the garden of Eden; before man fell from perfect relationship with Yahweh Lucifer first among all the angels of heaven chose to be disobedient and set himself against the LORD almighty.  Before the fall humans beings were in perfect unity with each other and God; there was no conflict, no hate, no status, no survival of the fittest�"there was only God, Adam and Eve (If there was a way to place Eve and Adam in a equal way I would).  But a lie from the serpent caused Eve to doubt God’s word to her, at some point she desired to have more or to know more (pride is always self-serving)�"Adam is to blame as well because he didn’t stop her.  Thus pride was given birth to and then eventually sin that led to the destruction of humanities access to perfection was severed, not forever just a very long time.  Pride lingering affects are felt today; this is seen most easily in relationships most specifically between men and woman.  In the garden there was no need for status, no need for one to be stronger or weaker; they existed and weren’t in competition with each other.  But this world since the fall in a survival of the fittest�"the strong dominate and rule the weak.  Thus echoes the cost of power, for one to have more power means for others to have less.  Treading carefully, because I know some women who could very easily beat me up it is a general consensus that men are stronger than women physically; this isn’t about who is better, men and women have strengths and weaknesses instead I would rather point out that we were made to be in equal standing with each other.  Before the fall of man, we humans being that is woman and man were in perfect harmony, unity and fellowship with each other.  There was no need for one or the other to be better, stronger, tougher, gentler, more sensitive or more caring.      

Par 2  Power

Power is something a lot of us want, to be recognized, acknowledgment, to be something more than we are.  But power has a price, for one person to have authority is for many to be less�"to have less authority and prestige.  So, after reading several books on leadership and studying the life of David under a microscope so to speak and looking intently at Jesus’s life those who seek power shouldn’t have it but those who don’t want it are the most likely to use it well.  I’m a fan of Riddley Scott’s movies; in on his more famous and popular movies we get a great glimpse of power and humility, service and duty.  Marcus Aurelious summons General Maximus to speak with him, the scene does an excellent job of depicting not a general and emperor but two men talking as men should, plainly and openly.  As the conversation comes to a close Aurelious asks Maximus to do one more duty before he returns home; he asks Maximus to protector of Rome after he dies.  “Do you accept this great honor that I have offered you”.  Asks Marcus Aurelius  “With all my heart no”.  Replies Maximus.  “Maximus, that is why it must be you”. Replies Marcus.  You see in this exchange we have a leader who serves, they understand the weight of responsilbity and declines this offer.  But this merely a fictional picture of power if so desired let’s take a look at David’s life, when people praised him in the street for killings tens of thousands of Philistines compared to Saul’s thousands this greatly troubled him, for David did not want to be given greater renown than the anointed king.  Humility is thinking others are better and more important than you are, it’s not forsaking your power for others because then you still have to deal with pride; it about being humble allowing yourself to be less for the sake of others.  Even after being anointed as the new king by Samuel David refused to take Saul’s life again and again; if David truly desired power he could have easily of taken it yet he didn’t.  He choice to do the LORD’s will over his own, to be less until Saul’s reign came to an end.  Patience, humility and a servants heart.  But why stop there; Jesus is the epitome of this concept, in Philippians it talks about Christ not regarding himself as having equality with God when that is what He is, He forsake His rightful place, power and authority and humbled himself taking on human form being obedient even to death on a cross- - a criminal’s death when He committed no sin.

 Par 3 Sin

I suppose one could pack in entitlement, greed, rebellion, pride, selfishness and disobedience into a nice little package as they are similar symptoms of an oddly familiar disease; a disease that has plagued humanity and even before our existence within the heavenly realms.   Sin’s existence came to be when one angel desired to be not a servant of God but greater than God; his name was Lucifer but now we call him the devil or Satan; the fallen angel who now seeks the destruction of humanity, of creation, to overthrow God, to hurt, distract, torture and destroy the saints.  Sin caused a rift between God and man; a rift that Jesus Christ paved the way by means of His death on a cross for all man kinds sin once and for all.  Sin taints creation, it gets in the way of relationships especially between man and woman�"because of the fallen state of the world there has become status between us where were designed to be equal.  I can imagine people of power and authority shudder at the idea or notion that men and women are created equal! Yes, I said it.  Like Etheridge’s quote in Wild at heart; “let men feel the weight of who you are let them deal with it”.  If people would like to argue with me let’s just look at Jesus made a huge emphasis on love, you can’t have status and love one has to give.  If a husband is supposed to love his wife as Jesus loved the church what kind of picture does that paint?  Christ loved the church because this was entwined within the fabric and essence of His character- - His devotion and desire to do the Father’s will influenced all He said and did, because of love.  Christ is the new Adam, He lived a perfect life.  We are to emulate Christ’s humility by loving each other and yes this means men and women are to be equal.  Great forces tug at women and men, authority and power allures women; beauty captivated men’s gaze�"instead of being drawn together they are drawn apart, but this should not be.  Within God’s intended design we were made to not only reflect God’s glory but we were also created in His image. If we were created in God’s image than unity that exists between the Trinity is a imprint of what we should be, man and women�"husband and wife equal. 

 

Par 4 Humility

Moving away from societies vertical inclination for doing things and power; we move towards the horizontal something Jesus spoke about in great detail�"detail to get away from the power struggle, the survival of the fittest to something better, something superior.  Like the Old Testament and the New Testament�"or in better regards the Law and Jesus Christ which sums up the law in two simple commands.  Love God with all your heart, mind and strength and love others as yourself.  Love creates an atmosphere in which humility may exist; but there is so much of the world that seeks to thwart this.  General Maximus shows humility when he declines being emperor of Rome, David shows this when allows Saul to live, Jesus demonstrates this in the greatest way possible when He chose to go to the cross for all our sins�"you see Jesus desires us to love each other, loving each other isn’t about status, rank, or placement it’s about love.   Love is something greater, love is what we had in the garden between God, man and woman.  God is love.  The essence of humility is thinking others are more important than you are, it’s not about your power, it’s about being less so others can be more�"this is best demonstrated in love.  But here’s the problem, those who have power will ultimately have a tough time with this.  Perhaps I am bias, perhaps not.  I do know that God desires all human beings to love each other�"love is choked out by pride, power, sin and selfishness.  So, from my understanding it’s the individuals who do not desire power who are the most deserving of it in the first place.  Humility is not an easy thing, it is the stark opposite of the message of this world that makes us believe we are better I those around us are less because we become more and greater. 

Par 5 Service

 

 

 

In ideas before I’ve tried writing things out to perhaps get a better grasp them so to speak; after several conversations with Carl Strohchien�"have inspired me to write on humility versus power.  People whether they like it or not are drawn to power, in the work environment, school, in relationships and even in the church.  People are not drawn to those who serve and humble but those who have charisma, power and authority.  It intrigues me to ponder why Jesus’s disciples continued to follow him even after He refused to destroy the Roman Empire and free Israel.