Control and Love

on Aug 06 in Everyday Life, Faith, Leadership

He stands before the highest ranking political figure in the State.  He has been beaten and abused within an ounce of his life.  He could collapse at any moment.  He could bleed out as he stands there.

The political leader Рwho has lost any appearance of control in this unique situation Рtries to get his near-death prisoner to speak.  The prisoner refuses.

Frustrated that his afternoon has ended up like this, and even more frustrated that he cannot control this man, the political leader screams:¬† “Do you refuse to speak to me! Don’t you realize that I have the power to either free you or to kill you?”

I’m not sure who he was trying to convince more:¬† The prisoner, or his own calloused heart.

Regardless, the words that come from the dying prisoner’s lips are words for us all to live by.¬† He does not try to save his own life.¬† He does not complain that he’s losing blood too fast to survive much longer.¬† He simply gives the truest utterance a man could ever give, and that the politician could ever receive.

Jesus said, “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above.”

Pilate listened momentarily, tried to set Jesus free, then finally caved in to the demands of the crowd.  Jesus was crucified.

For those of us in leadership, Jesus looks at us today and says, “You would have no power if it were not given to you from above.”

For parents who are trying to get their children to act “right”, Jesus says, “You would have no power if it were not given to you from above.”

For elected officials who are battling it out on Capitol Hill today, Jesus says, “You would have no power if it were not given to you from above.”

Today and every day, we have a choice.  We can either try to control the behavior of the people around us.  Or we can love those people, and let God do the controlling.  Why?  Because the only power we have is from Him anyway.  Why not leave it in His more-than-capable hands?

And when we try to maintain control, we only end up showing the world how desparately out of control we really are.

Pilate proves it.