The Covid-19 crisis is revealing some people doing tremendous good in the world. Neighbors checking in on neighbors. Customers collaborating to keep small businesses going. Healthcare workers and mental health professionals bringing healing to those battered by the virus and its impact. The hashtag #Covidkindness reveals countless stories of people blessing people in these challenging times. All of this is a demonstration of the righteous and just use of power. People surrendering their power for God’s good purposes.
At the same time, the Covid-19 crisis is revealing some people doing tremendous evil in the world. White supremacist groups are strategizing ways to infect people of color with the virus. Asian Americans have increasingly become targets of racist words and behaviors. Health care disparities have become painfully revealed as people of color suffer the worst of the virus. [see “The Pathogen of Prejudice”]. All of this is a demonstration of the unjust use of power. People abusing their power to harm others and exalt self.
The right use and wrong use of power is a theme woven throughout the Bible’s story and every story that flows from it. Esther is the victim of the evil abuse of power. At the beginning of her story, King Xerxes holds all the power. He can fire his queen with a word. Soon, he can authorize legislation that allows every Jew in his empire to be executed. He can declare that every young virgin in the land be abducted and brought to his bed. Esther, however, is defenseless. She can issue no decree. She can write no legislation. She has no voice.
But then Esther experiences an unexpected change. She gains tremendous power. The king, we are told, “loved Esther more than all the women” (Esther 2:17), and thus makes Esther his new queen, replacing Vashti. A Jewish orphan is now queen in one of the most powerful nations on earth.
Esther models the righteous use of power. She learns of a plot to assassinate King Xerxes. She could easily allow the plot to unfold and finally be done with this miserable man. Instead, she reports the plot to Xerxes and saves his life. Esther shows how regency can be used for righteousness. Might can be used for mercy.
Esther’s use of power finds its fullest expression in Jesus’ use of power. Jesus has unimaginable power. By Jesus “all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities (Col. 1). All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to him (Matt. 28). And yet, Jesus does not use his power to further his position:
Though he was in the form of God, he did not consider being equal with God something to exploit. (Phil. 2:6 CEB)
This is a statement about Jesus’ power. Jesus has a title and position that no one can rival. Jesus has the capacity to do worse than has ever been done to anyone if they don’t follow or obey him. Jesus has the capacity to grant the kind of rewards that have never been given in order to entice people to do his bidding. He IS God.
But Jesus did not exploit this power. This word “exploit” means to use to his own advantage. To profit himself. To preference himself over others. Instead ….
he emptied himself by taking the form of a slave (Phil. 2:7 CEB).
Jesus let go of any prerogative he might have had to use power for his own good. And he used that power to serve, to save.
As brothers of sisters of Esther, and as followers of Jesus, we called to surrender our power for God’s purposes. And we’re called to stand against the unjust use of power.
One spiritual discipline that can help us do this is something I call “Power Up.” We power up by surrendering our powers to God’s purposes. And we power up by calling on God to use us and others to defeat abusive power. Here’s a simple spiritual practice that enables us to do both.
- First, take one hand and make a fist. Historically, a raised or clenched fist is a symbol of power and solidarity. It expresses strength, resistance and defiance. At the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City, medal winners John Carlos and Tommie Smith gave a raised fist salute during the American national anthem as a protest on behalf of the Olympic Project for Human Rights. Nelson Mandela used the clenched right fist salute upon his release from Victor Verster Prison in 1990. Your clenched fist symbolizes your powers as well as your capacity to stand against the abuse of power.
- Now, let’s “Power Up” by surrendering our power for God’s purposes. Researchers tell us there are five basic powers. We’ll use each finger in our fist to symbolize one of those powers. One by one, unclench each finger, and as you do, utter this prayer:
- Unclench your thumb and pray, “For your use Father, I surrender my power of perks” [power rooted in your ability to give others what they want]
- Unclench your first finger and pray, “For your use Father, I surrender my power of pain” [power rooted in your ability to punish others]
- Unclench your middle finger and pray, “For your use Father, I surrender my power of position” [power you have because of a title or an official role]
- Unclench your ring finger and pray, “For your use Father, I surrender my power of professionalism” [power you have because of your expertise or skill or knowledge]
- Unclench your little finger and pray, “For your use Father, I surrender my power of personhood” [power that is yours because of your character or charisma]
- Rest for a moment in silence, hand wide open, symbolizing your desire for God to use your power for righteousness and justice, for the good of the world.
- Now, let’s “Power Up” by reversing this action and asking God to use us and others to defeat the unjust use of power. One by one, re-clench each finger, and as you do, utter this prayer:
- Re-clench your thumb and pray, “Use me Father to stand against the abuse of the power of perks” [power rooted in other’s ability to give people what they want]
- Re-clench your first finger and pray, “Use me Father to stand against the abuse of the power of pain” [power rooted in other’s ability to punish people]
- Re-clench your middle finger and pray, “Use me Father to stand against the abuse of the power of position” [power others have because of a title or an official role]
- Re-clench your ring finger and pray, “Use me Father to stand against the abuse of the power of professionalism” [power other’s have because of their expertise or skill or knowledge]
- Re-clench your little finger and pray, “Use me Father to stand against the abuse of the power of personhood” [power other’s have because of their character or charisma]
- Rest for a moment in stillness. Raise your clenched fist in the air as a symbol of your determination to use power righteously and stand against the unjust use of power.
