Antidotes to Power

Note: You may wish to refer to the Sentinel's January 5, 2009 article for background illumination.

Power is a natural part of life. The earth, wind, sun and rain all exert power to our great benefit. Love of personal power, however, breeds all manner of madness, sin and eventually, death.

Certain practices exist that can help offset the dangerous effects of power-lust, but none of us can at this point expect total immunity from these invisible puppet-masters pulling our strings. Constant vigilance is essential.

The antidote to money's poisoning influence is simple. Give. Simple, but not necessarily easy. What a thing to ask of someone!

"Say, I noticed you had some power that you could use to get just about any good or service imaginable. Now, why don't you voluntarily part with it?"

It's a wonder this ever happens! But when it does, a mental switch is flipped inside the givers. They are allowed to glimpse, if only momentarily, the things of deeper value than those which can be acquired with money. As power rushes out, the vacuum is necessarily filled with love for others. Because of this, giving can become an addiction. How wonderful!

Gratitude is worth mentioning here, for the recipient to be sure, but even more importantly on the part of the giver. When making a gift, one should be grateful for having sufficiently abundant resources and the proper disposition of spirit to be able to give.

The antidote to the power of seduction is monogamy. As with giving, monogamy allows for the replacment of a destructive desire by another even stronger desire that is fulfilling and good. The security of marriage creates the conditions in which physical needs can find satisfaction in a way that is ever-increasingly intimate and exciting. In other words, it just keeps getting better.

Compare this to the satisfaction levels of someone that is promiscuous. At best their experiences are hit or miss. At worst, they can be utterly destructive.

The antidote to the power of persuasion is knowing one's own heart. Once you know your heart - what you value and love consistently - you can guard it and not worry so much about what goes on around it. Then you can let yourself be persuaded in some things. That's not so bad. Someone that can never be swayed is not a rock of integrity, but a fearful monster.

Knowing and guarding our hearts can be done through prayer. This is much different than the misguided vision of prayer as presenting God with a honey-do list.

Instead, it's more along the lines of regularly (all the time, really, on some level) taking one's priorities and plans before God for review. Are they loving? Are they true? What did He say about it when experiencing something similar during his own sojourn in human flesh?

This, I believe, is the firm foundation referred to near the end of the Sermon on the Mount. With that firm foundation one can engage in lively debate, disagreement, and even trying on other points of view without jeopardizing integrity.

Lastly, the antidote to the power of physical force is accepting authority. As a man, I have the authority to protect my family and property with all the physical force of which I am capable. Accepting my limitations is an important part of this. If a threat to my family or community is larger, or more well-armed, than I can reasonably cope with; I will call for help from local or even state authorities.

Threats from abroad are under the authority of the national government to deal with, and those people standing up in service to do so, like the homeland guards, deserve our appreciation.

In the end though, no matter how safe our society, no matter how carefully we live our lives, we each face the impending crisis of death. By design, all of our individual efforts toward health and fitness, security and stability are ultimately futile.

Therefore, accepting the authority of the one who can give us eternal life under his protection is the only option that is truly viable for the long term. Only by pledging loyalty to King Jesus Christ of the Royal House of David, the Son of the Living God, can we be kept safe through the transition of death and forever in a life of peace, comfort, joy and love in his eternal Kingdom.

Capitalism

In the realm of Geo-politics, a decade is like a mere minute of time. So these two great boxers had been squaring off. Let's call them Harry Capitalist and Lenny the Soviet. They really hammered on each other for several minutes until suddenly Lenny lost his footing and fell over. Harry strutted around declaring himself the victor and proclaiming that no one would ever be able to challenge him again. Then a couple of minutes later (or 20 years in real time), the fatigue set in and Harry fell over too. By that time, Lenny was back on his feet. He'd changed outfits, and he was ready to go. Harry is still trying to get back up.

No, I'm not propounding communism (or Russian nationalism) as any kind of viable alternative to capitalism. What a joke! They are both the exact same thing: the rule of the greedy. In capitalism, those with the money get the power. In communism, those with the power get the money. It all ends the same way.

Is there a third option?

No, there really isn't. No outward system, planned or free, can reign in the greed (which is idolatry) that lurks in the hearts of mankind. The only alternative is not an economic system at all, but a spiritual rebirth. Sorry to all the guardians of Political Correctness out there, but only the reign of Christ can overcome our selfish and hurtful ways. This is true right now in the hearts of individual followers, and when He returns it will really kick in.

Am I proposing a Christian state or religious world order?

Of course not! Been there, done that. And we all know how well that worked. I guess no one expects the Spanish Inquisition.

That's the thing - it's not about an outward system, but rather a question of what's in the heart of each and every one of us. In the end, everyone is in one camp or the other. Either you follow the Lord and bend the knee to Him, or you seek to be an agent merely of your own individual interests...enter greed and selfishness.

So what is to be done? How do we fix the economy and get Harry Capitalist back on his feet? Wrong question!!! The question is for your heart. Is your life about loving and serving the Lord, and by extension loving and serving other people? Or is your life about serving yourself? If the answer is the latter, then it really doesn't matter what happens. You could be a capitalist or a communist - whatever works, right?

But if the answer is the former, then you already know what to do. And if I don't catch up with you in this life, I look forward to seeing you afterward. When the feast begins, let's be sure to get together for a toast or two or three. After all, we'll have all the time in the world.

Fear

For God did not give us a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.
2 Timothy, 1:7

One year ago, how many big-shot CEO's were winking at their secretaries, puffing on their cigars, patting each other on the back and admiring the size of their...profits? But now the party is over. The smoke has cleared, and so much of the wealth in which so many put their faith has been shown to be a vapor, an illusion. It wasn't lost. It never existed.

And now that the curtain has been raised on the whole charade, what leadership are we seeing from these mighty captains of industry? So far their bright ideas include, 'Cut jobs!', 'Cut spending!', 'Cut whatever you have to, just save my precious profits!'

Do they not realize that cutting jobs will just drive the economy further down? Do they not realize that cutting spending will only make things worse? They cannot see the bigger picture because they are consumed by fear.

Strange that these big men with fancy suits, sleek cars and mansions are suddenly so afraid. Where is their bravado now? They are the bosses. They are the leaders. But now, overtaken by fear, they are cutting back, drawing in, circling the wagons. Were they all just straw men with no guts? I suppose in tough times you get to see people for what they really are.

Now is a time for action! Now is a time for real men to rise up. Men with ideas! Men with courage! Men with ingenuity and skill! And women, naturally. (In fact, if women had been running the place...well that's another posting...)

Look, it's simple. If we all hunker in our bunkers, nothing is going to improve. We need to grow some collective testicles and turn this thing around.

Don't wait for the CEO's. Those foolish old white men have no new ideas. (They only ever had one.) They're not going to fulfill the Energy Revolution. They're not going to take a risk and start a new business. They're not going to write a novel, compose music or paint a mural.

Don't wait for Europe or East Asia either. We're the ones that can turn this around because we're the best. We're America. That means we're free. And that means we're strong.

Was 9-11 so long ago? Have we already forgotten those heroic words, 'Let's roll!' Those words meant much more than stopping the terrorists. They mean we don't sit around and wait for our destiny to be dealt out. We act. We move, and fast. And we get it done, whatever the cost.

We can do this, and in the face of our strength and courage and hopefulness and ideas and talent, fear will fade.

And as it does, you may even hear fear itself (with nowhere to go but cold oblivion) whisper in a shaky voice, 'I'm afraid.'

Then you can whisper back, 'I know.'

Art

Interesting that the most refined forms of combat are called martial arts...

Many similarities exist between martial arts and other forms of activity more typically thought of in terms of expressive art. Music comes to mind. The carefully controlled movements, the discipline, the heightened state of awareness, the attention to form, and the realization that all the diligent practice in the world will not negate the need for improvisation; these are just some of the obvious parallels.

Yet music and fighting are not the only examples. Any human activity that requires precision and excellence exists along this artistic spectrum. Ceramics, painting, calligraphy, writing, oratory, poetry, rap, singing, instrumental music, dance... and from dance, the leap to martial arts is not far at all.

But is there a disconnect? If the purpose in all those other art forms is to entertain and inspire, and the purpose of martial arts is defense and defeating the opponent, should they really be grouped together and considered along a single spectrum of creativity?

Ah, but what is the real purpose of those other art forms? Entertainment and inspiration are good, and true motivation is surely different for every artist, but the supreme value of art, martial or otherwise, is its capability when done right to harmonize our souls with God and with other human beings.

The destinies of different art pieces will vary far and wide. A painting may end up hanging on a wall in silence, whereas a song may resonate from mouths and radios and loudspeakers around the world. A cello piece may soothe the nerves, while a fast martial arts move may disarm an aggressive criminal.

Whatever the art's destiny, during the preparation and creation by the artist; walls come down, and a veil is pulled aside. For at least a moment, the soul of the artist becomes exposed and vulnerable, but as a result also capable of a heightened level of intimacy in its contact with other intelligences. This is frightening, but a worthwhile experience.

Suffering

Praise our God, O peoples,
Let the sound of his praise be heard;
He has preserved our lives
And kept our feet from slipping.
For you, O God, tested us;
You refined us like silver.
You brought us into prison
And laid burdens on our backs.
You let men ride over our heads;
We went through fire and water,
But you brought us to a place of abundance.
-Psalm 66:8-12

My life has been blessed by a remarkable lack of physical suffering. I've had stitches once, broken a bone once, never been hungry except by choice, and only been cold or exposed to harsh elements temporarily. Mental, emotional and spiritual suffering are another story, but even so, as a wise man once said to me, "things could be better, but they could be a whole lot worse, too."

The limited suffering I have experienced, (and this may sound odd, but) I actually kind of liked. No, I'm not a masochist. Yet, just as suggested in the Psalm above, the refining effect of suffering makes the experience worthwhile - especially once the suffering is over! It makes us more sympathetic and understanding of others' struggles, and accordingly less judgmental. It also hones our priorities, urging us to discard those things that really don't matter and cling more strongly to the things that really do. Intense suffering also helps me to accept that my time on earth will indeed come to an end, and makes me yearn all the more for eternal life in heaven.

But that is when it's me. As for seeing my loved ones suffer...no, that I don't like at all. I can't think of anything worse. In over ten years of marriage and almost ten years of fatherhood, I have seen my wife and daughters suffer many times. The experience is agony. The feeling of helplessness burns like fire, since many times there has been little I could do.

These are the times when, for me, questions arise like, "Where is God?", and "How could a loving God allow this?"

I know the stock Christian answers like, "It's because of our own sin that this suffering has come upon us," or "Well, it's actually the devil causing the problems, and God is just allowing it to prove a point, as in the story of Job."

These points have validity, I suppose.

I heard a recently deceased radio preacher put it this way (when he was still alive): "Is there suffering in your life? Is there heartache? Is there sorrow? Is there pain? There is? Good. Because that's the silken thread that God will use to draw you closer to Him."

He's right. When everything is coming up roses, we might not think about God as much as we should. But this I know for certain; when my wife found that lump in her breast, or my little girl ate the wrong kind of nut and her airway closed up, I thought about God real quick.

I don't know... I don't really have any answers...

One more thing though...even if you are not a Christian, consider this idea. What would it feel like to be an all-powerful being, with infinite love, and to see your child suffer... not just suffer, but be brutally beaten, humiliated and systematically tortured until he died. And with all the power and strength and might in the universe at your fingertips, to still voluntarily stand back and watch it happen...to let it happen...so that the child's suffering and death could substitute for the judgment you wanted to bring down on the rest of us for brazenly flouting your laws?

What would that feel like? Was there a split second when God might have hesitated and considered calling the whole thing off?

Does He really love us that much?

The Four Systems of Earthly Power

Let me begin with a comment on the subheading of this blog. The Silver Sentinel does not oppose those in authority - far from it! - for all authority is established by the hand of God. The subheading actually has a double meaning. On one hand, those in power should be monitored closely because of the natural human tendency to let power go to one's head, which can lead to abuses. On the other hand, they also should be watched because by watching them we can learn a lot that may be beneficial. Still, the caveat to beware applies. Whether wielded wisely or poorly, power is a grave responsibility.

Onto the matter at hand...

I propose that all exertions of earthly power ultimately fall into one of four categories. (I say earthly because the power of heaven, that is of God, is in a category unto itself, or more accurately perhaps, beyond categorization.)

The four categories are force, logic, sex and money. Naturally, these can overlap and intertwine.

Let's start with money. Like it or not, we live in a world of things. Some things we absolutely need like food, shelter and clothing. We also tend to desire things that are not necessary, but which do serve to entertain, comfort or stimulate us. Money is simply the standardized commodity by which the things we need or want are exchanged. That's not a bad thing, but it is a form of power, and therefore has the potential to do either great harm or great good.

Even more than we desire or need things, we desire and need each other. The relationships between friends, relatives, professional colleagues and neighbors are important and influential. No form of human relationship, however, is comparable in intensity to those based in sexual attraction and desire. Let's be honest. It can completely bend the mind! From the Trojan War to the Oval Office, people have done all kinds of wacky things when overcome by the fever of lust or romance. As with the money-power, the potential for both good and evil is bound up in sexuality.

Logic...words, ah, where the Silver Sentinel is most at home! The power of words is indeed a wondrous part of the human experience. Think about it! A few kind words can send your spirit soaring toward heaven. Likewise, an off-hand insult or mocking jibe can crush your heart.

At last we come to force. In days of old, the sword stood as the ultimate symbol of this form of power. Over the years, the functional supremacy of the sword has been replaced by the gun and more recently, by the nuclear warhead. Still the symbolism remains, and it is understandable that the sword (or spade in modern playing cards) is the trump. All the shiny money, burning seductiveness and brilliant argumentation in the world will avail nothing against the onslaught of raw force.

While money, sex and logic clearly can be applied in both good and bad ways, force is different. The only 'good' application of force, in this humble Sentinel's opinion, is defensive - that is to oppose another force that has been asserted almost certainly due to an inability or unwillingness on the part of the aggressor to meet its needs or desires through negotiation (money), seduction (sex) or persuasion (logic).