One of the truest tests of someone’s character is how they handle any power that is given to them.

Some people use it to get what they want.

They bully.  They coerce.  They blame.

They take advantage of anything and everything their position of power presents.

They are focused on making a difference for themselves.

Others use it for good.

They get advice from others.  They work for the good of those under their authority.

They take responsibility for their mistakes.

Those are the ones who tend to make a difference for others.

Some people just naturally have more “power” because of where they were born, to whom they were born, what sex they were born.  So a Caucasian boy born in Beverley Hills will definitely have more power than an African American girl born in Detroit.

Historically, those who have colonized have had the power over those they conquered.  So there are a lot of nations where the white people have more power/authority historically over people of color.  And in the majority of societies, men have always had power of one kind or another over women.  Kings and Emperors and Tsars and Caesars have had absolute power over their people.  Church leaders have had absolute power over their members in some denominations.

I can’t help it, but I see the news.  There’s not a lot of good stuff out there these days.  Bad news sells.  And everybody is spinning things their way.  But I still can’t help it, just so I can stay informed, I guess.

There’s so and so who’s being investigated/charged/indicted for corruption/bribery/perjury/extortion/embezzling.

This politician/CEO/NFL player/(insert person here) has been accused of/found guilty of abusing their significant other/possession of child porn/etc/etc/etc.

And then there’s the statistics.

*One in 5 women and one in 71 men will be raped at some point in their lives. (nsvrc.org/statistics)

*On average, nearly 20 people per minute are physically abused by an intimate partner in the US. (ncadv.org/statistics)

*Children are most vulnerable to sexual abuse between the ages of 7 and 13. (victimsofcrime.org/media/reporting-on-child-sexual-abuse-statistics)

*600,000-800,000 women, children, and men are bought and sold across international borders every year and exploited for forced labor or commercial sex. (arkofhopeforchildren.org/child-trafficking/child-trafficking-statistics)

*31.2% of active ordained pastors in a study (discussed in link) scored in the diagnostic range for Narcissistic Personality Disorder (aacc.net/2017/12/11/let-us-prey-the-frequency-of-narcissistic-personality-disorder-in-pastors)

*Among high school students, 15.5% are cyberbullied and 20.2% are bullied on school property. (pacer.org/bullying/resources/stats.asp

All of these statistics have something to do with an abuse/misuse of authority over another.

Maybe you see yourself in these statistics.  Maybe there are some numbers that aren’t here, but this list makes you think about them.  About a time someone abused their authority over you/a friend/a family member.  Maybe these just remind you of recent discussions/debates/fights on social media/on the streets/in the courts.

And we haven’t even touched racism, sexism, ableism, ageism, etc.  And maybe that’ll be for another post.

But I want to leave you with a few things to ponder. That I myself am pondering.

What do I do with the authority that is given to me?  Do I even have any kind of authority?

Am I abusing it in any way?

Am I abusing anyone?

How can I use what authority I have for good?

And if you don’t think that you don’t have any kind of authority anywhere because you’re not a boss or a parent or in any kind of supervisory role, if you’re reading this, you have social media of some kind.  That gives you a sphere of influence.  You have authority over your page/feed.  How are you going to use that?

How can you resist the comparison game: I’m not abusing my authority nearly as much as so and so.  If I were in so and so’s place, I’d do such and such to this person because they did such and such.  I wouldn’t have just let them off.  If I had that much power, I wouldn’t do that.  I’d be good.  I’d do awesome things.

Maybe instead of comparing yourself to some person in power/with influence/with authority, you focus on doing all the good you can where you are.  Use what influence you have where you are for good.  Lift others up.  Use your words to encourage.

I really like the way the Message paraphrase puts Philippians 2:3,4.

“Don’t push your way to the front; don’t sweet-talk your way to the top.  Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead.  Don’t be obsessed with getting your own advantage.  Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand.”

And there’s what Jesus told his disciples in Matthew 20:25-28 (Message).

“You’ve observed how godless rulers throw their weight around, how quickly a little power goes to their heads. It’s not going to be that way with you.  Whoever wants to be the first among you must be your slave. That is what the Son of Man has done: He came to serve, not be served–and then to give his life away in exchange for the many who are held hostage.”