Start with three minutes of silence or a piece of evocative music.

Part 20. POWERLESSNESS

The thing many of us fear most might be the very thing Jesus invites us to enter, our powerlessness. “Come,” he says, “Leave everything and follow me. Don’t take spare clothing or money, just leave it all behind and join me, now.” It all feels so final and naked and vulnerable. There is no backup, no ‘plan B’, no spare wheel. It is all contrary to our instincts which call us to secure and protect ourselves, to “save for a rainy day”, to be independent and broadly, to be able to look after ourselves in all circumstances.

What is he really saying and why do we feel fear at the thought? What we normally do with fear is to protect ourselves against it. We empower ourselves. But with more power comes more fear as we have that much more to lose. Fear and power fuel each other, or is it greed and power? Either way, there seems never to be enough security to satisfy every eventuality so we are endlessly gathering and fussing about having enough.

External or physical power may be one thing, but what about the more subtle relational power we all have to contend with? The person who asks us a favour we cannot refuse because of obligations we feel; the comments which cut us when someone we love is insensitive. The excuses we make when a ‘boring’ person wants to see us. Power in relationships has profound effects on us. The use and misuse of power is probably the area most effective at controlling and therefore of hurting people. Relational abuse can leave many unseen wounds and scars so we protect ourselves by manipulating our relational power as well.

Hence the idea of intentionally laying aside what we see as our power makes little sense. Yet this is what Jesus did, and what he calls us to do. Not that he wants us to become disempowered, but rather that we come into our true personal power.Jesus’ life was characterised by what in human terms is powerlessness. He had no possessions, no rank in any organisation, he even let someone else carry what money he had. And when he related to people, even the lowest by social standards, he came as an equal. He did not lord it over anyone and encouraged them to do the same. He questioned the assumption of power and its abuse, condemning the violence and corruption that it breeds. The power Jesus subscribed to was the power to give life with personal presence, love and affirmation. One cannot love without levelling the power imbalance, in fact love empowers the one that is loved; it is a giving of one’s power to the other. Loving makes us vulnerable, it takes away our ability to control or exploit the other, making us and our motives transparent.

This is why Jesus asks us to lay it all down. He wants us to come to a place of simplicity, clarity and love. In relinquishing his power he showed us how to live in freedom and real strength. This is what frustrated his enemies so much; they had no handle to manipulate him by, no fear to threaten him with. He could stand for who he was and love with the full extent of his being.

So it is that God comes to live among us, not in power but in vulnerable presence. Can we become fully present and vulnerable as we love God, others and ourselves?

Reflection and Journal (10 minutes)
When we love how much of our power do we lay down?What is Jesus inviting you to leave behind?

Connect with each other in the group. Share some of your experience of love and power.

This week. Reflect on your relationship with power, especially in your loving relationships.
Read chapter 21 of Richard Rohr’s “From Wild Man to Wise Man”