So many people in our culture have misused power in ways that have manipulated, minimised, and abused others. Unfortunately this is not confined to the ‘world’ but has made it into the church. Over the years I’ve heard way too many leaders in all sorts of positions in the church over reaching and using power in ways it was never supposed to be. used. I’m not even referring to something illegal or completely morally bankrupt (of course that can happen too.) I’m more referring to a more to the often subversive, subconscious use of power which influences decisions, direction, and people.

Because of all of that I fear we have build an unhealthy definition of power and have developed a fear of it that shouldn’t need to be there at all. Of course power can corrupt, but when partnered with God, it has an incredible ability to see us do incredible things. Jesus, as ever, is our example in this. He was a man who knew what it was to have power. In fact in John 13 we read this verse;

Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God;

What a statement to read! That is a lot of power. But what would Jesus do with that power? We see it in the next verse…… pay attention to the first word.

so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him. John 13:3-5

Jesus knew that all over was His SO he decided to position himself as a servant and washed His disciples feet. Why the so?

‘So’ ties what comes next to what goes before. What happens next only occurs because of what happened before. Why did the fact that Jesus knew He had all power lead Him to washing feet? Was He aware of His own humanness and was preventing himself from getting drunk on power? Did washing feet require power? The next verses show us.

Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. John 13:14-16

He was setting an example to His followers of what power should do in their lives. It should serve and honour others. Where power has often made as feel above others Jesus is modelling that power should do the opposite – it should drive us to serve others.

The gift, and challenge, of having anything or anyone ‘under our power’ is that we have influence over that thing or person. Our words and our actions have weight there, they count. If we are in positions of power we therefore have a choice about how to use that influence.

Will we use it to lord over others and push them down or will we use it to kneel down before others and lift them up?

I could take longer and debate the reasons here but Ill leave the choice in your hands!