Thursday, September 16, 2010

Master of another

What is the single biggest reason why there are troubles and discord and strife. When people receive power, they use it to force other people do act in the way they want rather than using power as a way of better serving others.

Think about it. How often do people try to use force to make other people do what they want? I don't like this - I'm going to take it to the voters, and if me and my buddies all have our way, you won't be able to do that! Wait til my guy gets elected President and then he'll make those guys do what I want them to. I've been called the pastor here, and so we are going to do things how I want them done!

And of course, let's not even get started on civil politics with this.

What this boils down to is this - we want to be the master of our neighbor. We want them to respect and obey us. We think our neighbor should fear and love us so that they do what we want even before we ask (or more likely command).

This is the way of death.

You are not God. You ought not expect to treated as though you were God.

Rather, you ought strive to be like God, who humbled Himself, becoming nothing, suffering. And why? So He could tell the Pharisees, "All right, here's how it's going to be now - I'm the new sheriff in town"? No. To bring salvation.

If you are trying to force someone to do what they don't want to... be very, very careful. Are you speaking with God's authority that He has given to you, or are you letting your own whims and wants and desires turn you into a tyrant?

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