Just Because You Can…
“Power always thinks… that it is doing God’s service when it is violating all his laws.” ~ John Adams
I remember, growing up, that there were always certain people in school who got their way. Sometimes, it was because they were the best athlete. Sometimes, it was because they were the best academic. Sometimes, it was because they were the most popular. And sometimes, it was because they were the biggest and no one was willing to talk against them.
We all grow up with a certain “might is right” kind of thinking. The biggest, the best, the most popular, or the largest numbers all seemed to be the decision makers. Whether for good or for ill, we would go along with them. We might have gone along with them out of fear or out of concern that we would be looked down upon. We might have gone along even if we thought that the decision was a bad one or even a wrong one.
People in power have been exercising the might is right principle for thousands of years. They are assertive at the best and aggressive at the worst and they constantly work to make sure that their will is followed. But is their will always right? Is it always for the good? Or does it hurt others?
Adams speaks about those who think that just because they have power they are doing God’s will. Having power can place one on a slippery slope because, with their power, they have much influence. If that influence is used for the common good, they are on the right track. If, on the other hand, their influence is used for their own good and their own gain, they can hardly say that they are doing God’s will.
If you are a person of means and influence, make sure that you ask the Lord to guide your decisions so that you do not go astray nor harm others. If you are not a person of means or influence but know someone who is, pray for that person so that his or her decisions may be made in accordance with God’s will.
FAITH ACTION: Don’t live by the “might is right” principle. Instead, live humbly, allowing yourself to be guided by God.