love at its best

Power at its best is love implementing the demands of justice, and justice at its best is power correcting everything that stands against love.

          Martin Luther King Jr.

_______________________________

 

I believe in power

But there is power, and then there is power

 

There is that power that is “top-down”

The power of domination and control

The power of retribution and punishment

 

There is the power that denies justice

And inhibits equity

The power of greed and racism

 

There is the power that intimidates

with guns

and brutality

the power that kneels on a black man’s neck

until he is dead

 

the power that oppresses and suppresses

 

there is the power of the tempter in the wilderness

who slyly suggested

that Jesus could have that kind of power

 

and that if he did

“what a wonderful world it would be”

 

Then there is that power that bubbles up

from the goodness of the universe

from mountain high, and valley deep

 

that power that springs up from deep within our souls

planted there, a good seed,

by a God who is love

 

the power of good

of original blessing

of love

 

this is the power of compassion

and generosity

the power of sacrifice

the power of justice

the power of service

 

there is no question

that Jesus modeled a weird kind of power

a power expressed by dying on a cross

 

and there is no question

that Jesus calls us to wield that same kind of power

 

I want to be a power broker

I want to use the power of love

The power of service and sacrifice

 

I want to live a life where every day

my words and actions help build

Equity, Equality

and Justice

 

where every day I disrupt hate

and greed

 

most people know John 3:16

it would be nice if we remembered 1 John 3:16 (and 17 & 18)

 

“This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?  Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.”

 

that, my friends

is what true power looks like

it looks like that kind of love