Power

Lately I've been finding myself feeling powerless. I know we all struggle with accepting things that are beyond our control, but I feel like certain things should be within our power to change. We should have the power to right wrongs, and I get frustrated that we don't always.

There's a certain situation in my life that I won't talk about on here, but it has been very frustrating to realize that I have little to no power to correct the situation. It's gotten me thinking a lot about the different ways in which people exert power over others.


Violence -

I'm reading a book about Hitler called Hitler's Private Library, and therefore I have been spending some time contemplating human cruelty. I also recently heard about a poor boy named Ethan Stacy. Ethan was murdered back in May, but there must be some recent development in the case because I just heard about it on the news yesterday morning. Here's a link: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_162-20004781-504083.html

At four years old, Ethan was beaten and tortured by his stepfather (with his mom standing idly by) for several days until he finally died. The mother and stepfather then disfigured Ethan's body in hopes he would be unrecognizable and buried him. They reported him as missing to the police, saying he "wandered off." Eventually their story broke down and Ethan's body was discovered.

Needless to say, this is profoundly disgusting and disturbing. Who needs to beat on a kid? Someone who needs to feel powerful? How can we make sense of acts like this?

I am not a violent person. I've never been in a physical fight or hurt any person or animal. Sometimes I scream in my car (where no one can hear me and think I'm crazy or being murdered or something) and maybe I've punched a pillow or two. So I understand the need to exert frustration in a physical manner. But I don't get the violent impulse. Get a punching bag if you want to hurt something, but don't hurt a person, much less a kid.

Those who commit violent acts obviously get something out these acts, or they wouldn't commit them. Maybe it's sexual gratification, a feeling of superiority, or an intoxicating sense of power. It seems violence is a common route to power for many who feel powerless, for those who need to punish innocent people for the hurt others have caused them.


Money -

Let's face it, Money Talks. This one really gets me. I hate that money buys people power. I know money isn't evil, and that powerful people can do great harm or great good with their money. But I just don't feel that simply having money really qualifies you as being important, or knowledgeable, or valuable in any way. A person's opinion shouldn't hold more weight simply because they have more money than someone else, but it usually does. Borrowers are slaves to the lenders, and employees are slaves to employers. It's an unfortunate reality of life.

Words -

Like money, this one can go either way. We see that words are powerful in that God spoke the world in to being. (Let there be light.) Words have the power to hurt and heal. This may sound hokey, but my hope is that more kind words are spoken each day than harmful words. So, empower yourself today by paying someone a compliment, offering a word of encouragement, or saying a little prayer. As Aesop reminds us, No act of kindness - no matter how small - is ever wasted.


Lying -

I love the way lying is described in the Kite Runner as stealing a person's right to the truth. Put that way, you see how lying can be a very powerful act. Like violence, I'm not much for lying, so I really don't have much to say. Other than to say that I believe the truth is more powerful than lies, and I hope truth prevails in the long run.


Knowledge -

"Knowledge is power" or "the truth will set you free" are phrases that work for this one. Earlier this fall, I read a book about the making of the King James Bible, and it hit me how grateful I am to be able to read any text (religious or not) in my own language with no restrictions, filter, or fear. I don't have to rely on the clergy or the king to interpret my religion for me. Authors can write and publish books without the approval or endorsement of the government. This hasn't always been the case.

I'm in a class right now called the History of Reading, and I've learned that literacy has been a very rare skill for most of the history of mankind. Very few people could read, and even fewer women could read. Additionally, reading materials were extremely scarce before the invention of movable type.

If I was born in another time period, I would probably never have learned to read. Being literate is such a freeing, powerful blessing. I appreciate living in the Information Age and having the power to learn practically anything I want to know. Though there are many periods in history that fascinate me, I think I was born in the right one for me. (Anesthetics and iPods help, too.)


Charity -

I believe that through charitable giving, we have the power to change lives for the better. In December of this year, I will have been a Compassion sponsor for the last 10 years. I have sponsored between 1 and 3 children at a time. (Children move away from the program or run away from home and so my sponsorship has changed from time to time.) I currently sponsor two children. One is a little girl from Honduras that I have been sponsoring for the entire ten years. After having exchanged letters with her for such a long time, I do feel like I know her and have seen her grow up over the years. Even though some times I feel helpless to improve some situations in my own life, it comforts me to know that I am capable of effecting positive change for others. And, I'm spending my money on something worthwhile, instead of ordering pizza again (or some other equally meaningless purchase).


Please consider sponsoring a child at http://www.compassion.com/ or giving to any other organization whose mission you believe in. Exercise your power to be charitable.


Love -

Even though it often seems like the wrong side is winning the battle between good and evil, I have to believe that ultimately God is the most powerful, and that he exerts His power through His love. If we follow suit by loving Him, others, and ourselves, we can be powerful too.

I see powerful love in the sacrifices people make for others, and in the little every day things.

It's in the way my grandfather, mom, and aunt attended to my dying grandmother during her final year with us. It's in the way Michael helps me find my cell phone every time I lose it, even though he's advised me again and again to find a permanent place for it in the house.

Love is probably more places than I notice, because some days I fail to look.

Some days I am too focused on the violence, greed, and lies of the world to look for the truth, beauty, and kindness. It takes a special kind of power to acknowledge the realities of this world and yet still feel optimistic. I guess I'll have to work on that.