Number One
It isn't easy replacing power with love. But it's possible.
One of my seminary professors used to say, “Our faithful Lord will put up with a lot of things in the human heart, but second place is not one of them.” With that, he touched on the essence of a relationship of faith. It relinquishes itself and relies totally on another – without condition.
Unfortunately, we find it much easier to strive to be number one, in control, full of power. Sometimes we glamorize it and call it ambition, creativity or strength. In its most simple form, it is self-reliance. Henri Nouwen, in “Mornings with Henri J.M. Nouwen,” as quoted in “Christianity Today,” says this:
“What makes the temptation of power so seemingly irresistible? Maybe it is that power offers an easy substitute for the hard task of love. It seems easier to be God than to love God, easier to control people than to love people, easier to own life than to love life. Jesus asks, ‘Do you love me?’ We ask, ‘Can we sit at your right hand and your left hand in your kingdom?’ (Matthew 20:21) ... We have been tempted to replace love with power.”
Jesus agrees wholeheartedly with the quotes above, and goes on to offer something reassuring to those who hesitate to relinquish control – Jesus did it himself. He yielded his rights and gave himself up to his Father’s will. And everything turned out just fine. It’s called love.
Replace love with power? Jesus tell us, “Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave – just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:26-28).
Find for yourself which areas of your life you like to control, give up that power to God and replace it with love. Job? Addiction? Marriage? Children? Personal habits? Low class people? Neighbors? Stop challenging God’s first place position in your life, and you’ll discover more love, more freedom and more joy.
PRAYER: Dear Jesus, you became my servant and so you are my Lord. My sinful heart desires to rule over you, and over everything else for that matter. Help me see the areas of my life where control and power have overruled love and trust and compassion. Take those areas and rule over them with your forgiveness, and with your strength against all temptation. Let me then, with full trust in you, be more loving. Amen.