Andy started the sessions this morning with a message on power. Within the church we tend to think of the word “power” as a four-letter word. But the reality is that leaders do have power and leaders do wield power whether they like it or not. The question is: what do you do when it dawns on you that you’re the most powerful man in the room? Jesus realized his power in John 13, and at the height of that realization He took off his outer garments (the symbol of his authority) and washed the feet of his disciples. When he was finished he told them to go and do likewise. Jesus knew that, later on, the disciples might be tempted by power: they would face times when they would be the most powerful men in the room. How would they deal with it? Hopefully they would use their power and leverage for the benefit of those around them in acts of service. Andy finished up by sharing a story of George Washington and his aversion to power. Congress wanted Washington to become the Emperor of what would become the most powerful nation in the world, and Washington gladly turned it down. Our former president could be trusted with power because he was so quick to give his power away. Godly, spiritual leaders do the same.
My personal thoughts:
A fantastic message by a leader for whom I have a huge amount of respect! As a leader there are times when temptation comes to use power for my own benefit. My prayer is that God would rip me from leadership the moment my position becomes about me instead of about Him. There are times when he has been more than generous in allowing me to remain a leader. Even still, that is my prayer. I once heard a story of Billy Graham stepping out of a limo in front of Madion Square Gardens. A reporter was there and said, “Dr. Graham, how does it feel to see your name in lights [above the stadium]?” Graham’s response: “It scares me because I know God will share His glory with no man.” Until I can truly be afraid of power I am not ready to wield it.
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