Since the devil’s fall, Cain, King Saul, Simon the sorcerer and today’s world-wide politicians some things rarely if ever change. See the above title of this post.
Of course it’s about land and mineral control, overt or covert subjugation of individuals, people groups, so-called “undesirables” (and especially incarcerated ones) as well as common drug/gun/sexploitation street gangs right through to much of corporate America, too often this what it’s all about.
When I consider the free slave labor in our nation’s prisons as well as gangs within them, power and gain loom large regardless.
Even church leaders and at times congregational members become part of this landscape.
When “sharing” isn’t the true motive, power and sharing as well as justice are in the distance it then indeed comes down to who has the boots-on-ground power does it not?
It’s no secret any nation’s (or dictator’s) military is historically wielded to gain, maintain, secure power in the quest for… for what?! Again, we must not pretend everyone’s true motive is non-sharing control, and yet for many it indeed is. Is it peace or a piece of the action we seek?
As I mentioned above, gain is a major factor. Witness Putin in Ukraine. Witness any number of U.S. and other countries politicians, business heads, perhaps your own boss at work.
Admittedly SHARING itself can be co-opted, is often used by those in the proverbial driver’s seat in order to keep people onboard or at least in line with policies and the objectives of those in power.
God- Father/Son/Spirit is the Ultimate of ultimate Power in all the universe. On the one hand we can say He has no equal, more powerful or effective rival and therefore doesn’t have to share anything with anyone. So what does He do?
He reveals Himself as the suffering Servant of all, as Love as well as True love’s Origin, as the sacrificial Lamb who does not use His power to rob, kill, destroy but rather to heal, feed, cleanse, include, share His love, mercy, forgiveness and eternal life with “whosoever will, let them come”!
“Whosoever will“. The true God is no dictator as He has given us the ability to deny or walk in a relationship of love and grace with Him.
Seems to me demagogues only offer choices for their own self-interest. The God I believe, follow, have walked with so imperfectly during my lifetime on this planet has so demonstrated His compassion, provision and grace toward me to the extent I am convinced He knows what He’s doing with His ultimate power -and even when it arrives in brutal form, we disagree with how events unfold, deny His very existence or vilify His motives -when I compare Him to what I see throughout human history there is no comparison that convinces me human beings are more righteous, loving or willing to share to the extent He is, has and does.
As always, thanks for stopping by. -Glenn
glennkaiser.com 