This is a story about the misuse of power. Any C.E.O who does not have the time and the humility to be approachable does not understand that power IS approachability, humility, service. The One Who Understands, Lives, and Breathes Power taught us this as he washed the dirty, smelly, tired feet of his disciples and then told them - and us - "I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do."
Fr. Richard Rohr tells us
"Trinity tells us that God's power is not domination, threat, or coercion, but of a totally different nature, one that even Jesus' followers have not yet adjusted to. If the Father does not dominate the Son, and the Son does not dominate the Holy Spirit, and the Spirit does not dominate the Father or the Son, then there's no domination in God. All divine power is shared power. This should have entirely changed Christian religion, politics, and relationships.
"There's no seeking of 'power over' in the Trinity, but only 'power with' - a giving away, a sharing, a letting go, and thus an infinity of trust and mutuality. This has the power to change all relationships: in marriage, in politics, and even in international relationships."
We can see this misunderstanding and misuse of power so clearly in our world today. Democrats and Republicans struggle for political dominance, both parties spewing the poisonous venom of mutual recriminations, accusations, insults, and lies, murdering trust in the process for all citizens. Some Christian Americans struggle for the dominance of Christianity over all other religions. In America and in European countries, the current ethnic groups and cultures seek to dominate - or eject - anyone "new" with a different ethnicity or culture. World-wide, nations seek to put themselves first and to back away from forming stronger relationships with each other. World-wide, husbands and wives struggle for power in marriage instead of sharing responsibilities and mutually deciding how to rear their children. Church leaders seek to dominate women by refusing to share the secular and sacred powers of leadership with them, leaving them almost voiceless in higher echelon decision-making. Even in sports games, we all watch to see which team will "dominate the field."
God, unlike human beings, does not dominate, or hoard power to God's Self.
Satan tempted Jesus in the desert by offering him world power, political power to dominate the kingdoms of the world. But the only throne our Messiah chose to occupy was the throne of the cross; the only crown he chose to wear was a crown of thorns. The power he chose to radiate was the power of servant leadership, mercy, and love. That is the power he shares with us. That is the power that is powerful beyond measure to change lives!
"Today, listen to the voice of the Lord," the psalms remind us. "Today, if you hear the voice of the Lord, Harden not your hearts." Listen to Jesus' voice as he humbly "waits on" others:
"I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do."
The attitude of Jesus is the inner attitude of humility which needs to be our model. A humility that shares power and seeks goodness in all whom we meet.
The only way that we can keep evil in check in our country and world today is by doing those ordinary, humble, merciful acts of kindness which Jesus - and Gandalf, who is Tolkien's holy voice in "Lord of the Rings" - bid us do. We can share our country by refusing to hate and reject those who are different from us, and instead accepting them and treating them with respect as our neighbors. We can overcome fear with love by touching skin which is a different color. Hugging someone with a different sexual orientation. Be-friending someone from a different religion or cultural or social background.
We can share our country by discussing politics and religion without insults, and using Facebook to enlighten others rather than attack them. We can share social equality by being the first to serve rather than the one who is always served. We can share an attitude of faith by refusing to believe that the religion that we were probably "born into" makes us superior as human beings to others who have been "born into" a different religion, which they love and respect and cherish as much as we do our own. We can share food and clothing with others as works of justice rather than as ways to feel spiritually and morally superior to those we share our possessions with.
When we love with our whole hearts, our power to change lives is amazing! We have God's power within us to heal the hurt and pain of another's rejection, the torture of another's isolation, the sickness of someone's feeling inferior. We have God's power within us to raise another from the death of grief and despair. We have God's power within us to cause faith to grow green and hope to blossom.
Believe in God's power within you to effect tremendous change in others' lives and in your own life! Love is at your fingertips, true, selfless, real love, the kind of love that fills your soul with peace, love which can be yours if you give it away - and then watch it come back to you a hundred-fold. God's power is limitless and real, but its not a power which dominates, coerces, or is filled up with its own self-importance. Real love can and will lead us to the cross of self-sacrifice. But after that, God's power within us will raise us from both the death of selfishness and physical death. Because God's real power is built on God's real promises.