Sic transit gloria mundi

The recent funeral of another oppressive dictator called to memory a quote from Mahatma Gandhi, “When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they can seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall. Think of it--always.”  I have seen the fall of many dictators in my day; Nikolai Chauchesku in Romania, Manuel Noriega in Panama, Saddam Hussein in Iraq.  Recently, in quick succession, we observed the fall of such men such as Hosni Mubarak in Egypt and Libya’s Muammar Gaddafi.  Such exits are never pretty and often gruesome.  However, the seductive temptation of power continues to lure people to compromise integrity, morals and ethics often to do whatever is necessary to grasp power.  We see this scenario acted out continually in national politics, local institutions as well as church and family systems as people desperately want power, influence, attention or approval as a way of feeling loved. 

The news from around the world or locally can often cause one to despair as we hear of people exercising power or control over others in an unethical manner.  However one must remember truths like the quote from Gandhi but even more comforting are words from the master of the universe spoken through his prophets.  Such as Isaiah 40:23, “He brings princes to naught and reduces the rulers of this world to nothing.” 

In his timeless best seller, ‘The Road Less Traveled’, Dr. M. Scott Peck writes, “There are two kinds of power: political and spiritual. “Political power is the capacity to coerce others, overtly or covertly, to do one’s will.” It derives from a person’s position and not from the person. The capacity of spiritual power is the “capacity to make decisions with maximum awareness. Most people most of the time make decisions with little awareness of what they are doing.” But, with spiritual maturity, we can. ”We can come to power.” Those who have “succeeded in coming into alignment with the mind of God” have a joyful humility. “The experience of spiritual power is also terrifying.” Our greater awareness may involve us in complex decision-making situations. Those with spiritual power can make those decisions wisely and with awareness and not shrink from the job. Another problem with spiritual power is aloneness (not loneliness). Politically powerful people have their cronies; spiritually powerful people “will likely have no one in his or her circle of acquaintances with whom to share such depth of understanding.”

As Dr. Peck eloquently summarizes the result of the seduction of power we are reminded that all of us are seduced in this area in one way or another.  People will continue to seek to control, manipulate or gain popularity to make themselves feel powerful as a way of feeling fulfilled or loved.  Power, the capacity to influence others, is a potent factor that can easily be used for good or bad.  Let us discern and teach the important difference in power.  Political power is the capacity to influence others by one’s money or dominant position.  Spiritual power is the capacity to influence others by the loveliness of one’s being.  Let us not despair but continue to seek, support, and exemplify the power that is spiritual.  Political power comes from men and leads to pride which eventually leads to destruction.  Psalm 33:10 tells us “The LORD frustrates the plans of the nations and thwarts all their schemes.”   Spiritual power comes from God and leads to humility which leads to exaltation.   This is best illustrated in Philippians 2 as the humility of Jesus is portrayed in his complete submission to the Father’s plan, even when it resulted in his own death.  “Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”  Now there is an example and a leader to follow.