CONTROL

Beria Emulous paces the floor. He’s angry with Crassus Arrogate, a man who controls information to protect his dominion. The two consistently spar. On the surface they remain civil but underneath these two gray veterans are cauldrons.

Mr. Emulous knows the Lord. One would think that he would pray for Arrogate and not let the man irritate him. If only it was that easy. He resents the fact that his authority is constantly ignored. He’s tired of the bullying mannerisms of Crassus and the pack of loyal dogs he’s trained who serve him. Under the old leadership he could not touch him. Now a new regime is in place, leaders with whom he has a shared background, and so he seizes his opportunity. Emulous convinces his new boss that Arrogate is trouble. He shares information that puts his adversary in a bad light. Through careful manipulation he uses his power to emasculate the team downstairs. Everyone knows now who is in charge. But at what cost has Emulous succeeded?

Meditation

2 Corinthians 13:4—For to be sure, He was crucified in weakness, yet He lives by God’s power. Likewise, we are weak in Him, yet by God’s power we will live with Him to serve you.

When we are abused at the office, ridiculed in the neighborhood, and made weak by those who misuse their strength, we should rejoice in our weakness. Our calling is not to grapple for control. The world is not impressed with our faith when they see us take down bullies by our cunning. They are won to Jesus when they see unflappable love. They see heaven at work when hell’s screams fall on deaf ears. If Jesus could turn plain water into wine, do you suppose He could have turned murderous rabbis into rabbits? Maybe we should learn from what He did not do!

Are you tired of being pushed around? I imagine Jesus was weary of the constant schemes of His enemies. Still, He remained perfect because His Father’s mission was more important than His own reputation. He said it should be so for us as well. “If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me” (Luke 9:23). This is a hard lesson for us to learn. Control is not an easy thing to relinquish. Take courage—your strength is in the Lord. Live for Him and not for yourself and you will experience true freedom and wonder-working power.

Inspiration

If we bear the yoke of Christ we shall render the power of wrong impotent by living under it in the power of right. The moral power of the Spirit of God is “mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds”; it works not like leaven, but like dynamite.—Oswald Chambers in Notes On Jeremiah