Power

The Rev. Nancy E. Gossling                              Emmanuel Church, West Roxbury

You can’t listen to the news today without hearing about someone’s abuse of power. Usually it involves a political leader somewhere in our world, from a particular nation, or as close as our State House. Or maybe it’s corrupt people who are working in a non-profit organization or an age-old institution. The #MeToo movement continues unabated; and we hear stories about leaders in our Churches of all denominations. Just recently, I personally heard two stories about the abuse of power: one was a doctor who was predatory, and another was a high-profile businessman whose ego and need for power got out of control.

So we all know that people abuse their power, regardless of their professions, their genders, their locations, or their socio-economic status. In truth, we are all guilty, for occasionally we abuse the power that we have, however much or little it is, and usually in less egregious and public ways. In families, as parents or children, in churches or as members of particular groups, we hurt each other, sometimes knowingly and intentionally, and sometimes not. We speak carelessly. We act willfully. We power over others to get our way.

I’ve just finished reading a book called Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng. It is the story of a mixed marriage between a Chinese professor and an American woman. They have three children, although Lydia, the middle child, is “the favorite child of her parents who are determined that she will fulfill the dreams that they were unable to pursue.” This book is described as a “profoundly moving story of a family, their secrets, and their longings.” Who among us has not had one or more dreams dashed, or kept secrets untold, or had longings unfulfilled? Who among us has not judged people who are different from ourselves in one way or another? Or used our power in ways that we regret?

Like the story of Lydia’s family, and the story of David and Bathsheba, secrets can kill us. So can abuses of power. Clearly, both Uriah and Bathsheba were powerless in their relationships with King David. The king used Bathsheba for his own personal pleasure, and then in an attempt to hide his behavior, and perhaps protect Bathsheba, he tried to deceive her husband. When that failed, Joab, under orders from his king, colluded with him and arranged for Uriah to be killed in battle. Supposedly no one would know of this betrayal except King David and Joab.

How then do we confront the bad behavior of others, especially people who have power? How do we not collude with people who ask us to stay silent or do things against our conscience? How do we deal with our own power and behavior?

Today’s lesson from 2nd Samuel provides some answers. First, we recognize the potential for abuse when we see that there are power differentials in our relationships. Children are less powerful than adults, which is why two year-olds begin to claim their own power by saying “no.”  In general, women of color are considered to be at the bottom of the power pole, with white men at the top; and lay persons may feel powerless over the requests of clergy. Nathan gave voice to the powerless; so too can we.

Power differentials are legion and variable. They include not only our ages, genders, colors, and vocations, but also money, legal status, birth order, and things like reputation. And yet, everyone has a place and a purpose, a variety of gifts given to us by God. Some will be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, others pastors and teachers.

Our communities are different as well. For example, Trinity Church in Copley Square is not like Emmanuel Church; and yet each community is equally important as members of the Body of Christ and in the Diocese of Massachusetts. Emmanuel Church: You have a mission. You have core values. You are a welcoming community that fills backpacks and feeds others. Your ministers are all the parishioners of Emmanuel Church. You are people with power.

Being aware of yourself first, then, is important in all of our relationships. When someone reacts strongly to us, or seems to over-react to a situation, look for the trigger that may have caused it. It’s one way of recognizing the power differentials, or wounds. It’s also an opportunity for self-reflection. Anger is an indicator, like the red light that comes on in your car when it gets overheated. It tells us that we are afraid or hurt, and often masks a deep sadness or a loss. It may point to injustice, or suggest secrets that have not yet come to light. Our anger may reveal things that we have done and do not like about ourselves.

In ancient Palestine, the law of hospitality demanded that strangers be treated as if they were angels, and when they arrived at your home, they were given the best food for their journeys. If someone had no livestock, you were permitted to take a neighbor’s lamb; but it was forbidden if you had a lamb of your own, or if the neighbor’s livestock was a personal pet. In Nathan’s story, the rich man broke both religious and tribal laws, by taking his neighbor’s one and only lamb, which he had treated like a daughter.“The man who has done this deserves to die,” David told Nathan, “and he shall restore the lamb fourfold.” Revealingly, David’s anger condemned himself even before Nathan confronted him. Telling a story is one way to confront others.

Many, if not all, human beings are never satisfied; for we are a discontented lot, and often want more. Indeed some people believe that God created us this way so that we would constantly seek God, finding our hearts restless until they rest in God. Such was the story of King David; and so Nathan confronted David in yet another way. He reminded David of how much God had already given to him and would continue to give; but David chose to do what was evil instead. When we are not grateful for what we already have, and feel entitled for more, we are liable to sin. We choose unwisely.

Like David, we may begin to lie. “We deserve this,” we say to ourselves; and so we demand or take what is not ours. “He made me do it,” we say to a family member. Initially, we may fool some people, but certainly not God. Like King David, we will find that one little lie leads to another; and soon enough, the consequences are deeper and greater. We deny the truth and blame others, or we ask them to do our dirty work. If we feel powerless, we may whisper behind closed doors, or remain silent, passively colluding with those in power. The truth eventually comes out, however; and secrets, despite our best efforts, will come to light.

Culturally and in our Church, I think these are times of “truth-telling.” I serve on our Diocesan Disciplinary Board and am aware of the steps recently taken at our General Convention. In a report submitted by the commission on impairment and leadership, members wrote, “Unfortunately, in almost every case that we examined, the ecclesial structure and polity of our church proved to contribute negatively to the situation. Clericalism, a misunderstanding of hierarchy, the canonical autonomy of parishes and dioceses, and a polity that hinders the enforcement of expectations all contributed. Fear of exposure to liability, and an underdeveloped theology of forgiveness also contributed to the abusers being given multiple opportunities to repeat their behaviors without consequences.”

God’s mission is one of reconciliation and peace, and without truth-telling, there is no reconciliation. Without justice, there is no peace.

To his credit, Nathan confronted his king without regard to his own personal danger. Such actions takes enormous courage and faith. Today voices are rising. Together, people are exposing religious, tribal, social, and civil laws that are broken or unjust and in need of repair. Age-old abuses of power are being revealed.To his credit, King David immediately confessed his sins to Nathan.

Leaders who are not balanced by other forces of power can easily forget about God, deny that there is a God, or think that they are God. In our Christian community, we realize that it’s not just about the “#MeToo” movement but also the “WeToo” movement. For we are one body and one Spirit, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and there is one God and Father of all.

As equal members of the Body of Christ, we remember that God is the Defender of our cause, and the Great Protector of our lives. We remember that we are all sheep of God’s own fold, lambs of God’s own flock, and sinners of God’s own redeeming, because Jesus was the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. We remember that God provides food for our journeys even in the wilderness; and so we are grateful that God’s grace is given to us unmerited, undeserved, and free.

The author of the letter to the Ephesians reminds us to “bear with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, and leading lives worthy of the calling to which we have been called.” Love is hard work, and speaking the truth in love takes courage. Emmanuel Church, God is with you, and God has called you to equip more saints for the work of this ministry; for it takes the whole body, knit and working together properly, to grow itself up in love, into the full stature of Christ. This is no secret, but the dream of God, and God’s longing for all of us.

After being fed by Jesus and his disciples, the crowds still pursued Jesus. Rather than puffing himself up with pride, or counting his followers in the pews, Jesus confronted them. “I know that you’re looking for me because you ate your fill of the loaves. But what you really need is God. You need spiritual food that comes down from heaven, and gives life to the world. And, oh by the way, Jesus said, “I am that bread of life.”

            Victoria Lynn Garvey, a lay leader, church consultant, and Biblical scholar wrote, “Most English translations of the Bible use the verb endures to characterize the bread, but the author of the fourth Gospel chooses the Greek word meno, sometimes translated abide. This word describes the intimate, enduring, reciprocal, personal relationships of the Spirit and the Father with Jesus, and then with Jesus and His disciples.”

            During this time of leadership transition in your community, I encourage you to share your stories. With courage, confess your sins and speak the truth in love to one another. Welcome strangers as if angels, as you welcomed me this morning. Use God’s power for good and empower others for God’s mission. Abide in Jesus and you will never be hungry or thirsty.

2 Samuel 11:26-12:13a

Psalm 51:1-13

Ephesians 4:1-16

John 6:24-35