Matthew 10:39 “Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” [ESV]
“One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them,
One Ring to bring them all, and in the darkness bind them”
J.R.R. Tolkien presents possibly the strongest case in literature about the danger of power. In The Lord of the Rings trilogy, he shows how its lure can corrupt even common folks (like hobbits). The “ring of power” turns reason into insanity, normal longing into deadly obsession and noble intentions into dishonorable betrayal. Beware!
Power’s clutches reach far beyond the confines of the Shire. The lust for power lurks in marriages where husbands and wives forget their call to complete one another, not compete for control. Bullies, whether on the playground or in the boardroom, think power over others will quiet their noisy insecurities. And don’t get me started on the drive for power in politics. How many politicians sacrifice their integrity to satisfy its addicting snare? Power is insatiable…the more you get, the more you want.
So Jesus told us not to pursue this treacherous commodity. He showed us true power—the kingdom of heaven kind—exists for giving, not for acquiring. It’s the kind that heals the sick, raises the dead, cleanses lepers and casts out demons (Matthew 10:8). It’s in the business of freeing people, rather than coercing them to bend to its will (v.14).
The kingdom of heaven kind of power can get us into trouble because it refuses to play along with what the world values. But Jesus tells us not to worry. No one has power over our souls, and that proves to be far more important than what anyone can do to us (v.28). When we choose to lose our pursuit of power and instead take up the cross of Jesus, we find more than we ever imagined (v.38).
I think it’s time we stop listening to the power brokers of the world. Let’s resist the ring of power’s enticement wherever it beckons. Jesus offers us the opportunity to escape from all the power grabs. Let’s give it all to him. We’ll discover the One who breaks the power of sin and death is the greatest power broker of all.