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We live in a world in
which there are those who have power and those that do not. I
remember one of the teachers from school, who has strongly socialist
views, told me what a powerful position I held. I remember thinking
at the time how ridiculous that felt to me since I was just
responsible for a school. But as I thought about it I began to
realise just how right he was: I have the power to influence the
working lives of 1200 people; the power to control a budget of £3
million pounds; the power to discipline, where needed, both teachers
and students. The list went on. The conversation certainly
sharpened up my thinking about power and what it is used for. Some
of us have a lot of power, others very little, if any.
But the power of companies is so much more than any of us have as individuals. Companies like Microsoft generate more income than many of the world’s poorest countries put together. They have tremendous power over the economies of countries they trade in and sell in; tremendous power over employees; tremendous power over whether they create good things in society or bad e.g. in 2001 Coca Cola settled a claim for hundreds of millions of dollars for racial discrimination in the workplace, and in the same year Boeing, the gigantic American aeroplane company were fined $100 million dollars for bribery and fraud.
But companies can use the power of their wealth for good too – I think of Standard Life in Edinburgh which invests a lot of money back into the community in education projects.
Governments certainly have great power over the lives of citizens with the power to tax people and to use the money for the common good. For example, the government spends a lot of money on the health service. Governments have the power to pass and enforce laws. They have the power to wage war as well. As we think through even recent history we see how the power of governments can be used in different ways.In the second-world war, Hitler used his power to wage war across Europe. In the Soviet Union the power of the government was used to create a centrally controlled system which left little room for individual liberty. Indeed millions died for various political reasons.
In the same era, the Soviet Union and the West used their political power to confront each other in what became known as the Cold War, when the superpowers lined up against each other with the threat of using nuclear power.
It sometimes seems that individuals like us can do little to influence the world for good, but I want to end this first section on power by telling you of a friend we met the first time we went to Russia in 1996. Russia was still officially atheist. Volodya had been in a Siberian Prison Camp for about 5 years. He had been sentenced because he spoke in public about his Baptist Christian faith. He lived the hardest kind of life you can imagine in the cold of Siberia seeing his wife about once a year when she could find enough money to travel to him.
On his release from prison camp Volodya was determined to do something to influence society so he worked to find money and backers which enabled him to set up a school teaching religion and philosophy. As we sat in his study at the school, I felt both humbled and in awe, as he described how, on his release from Prison, he felt compelled to do something to change Russian Society. By the time we visited him there were several hundred pupils in the school whose lives were being influenced by hearing about a Christian, rather than an atheist, perspective on life.Power, whether exercised by individuals, business companies or governments, can be used for good or bad. Some people have power because of their individual characteristics – I guess we have all known individuals with very strong personalities. Some companies grow so large that their immense wealth gives them tremendous power. Some governments are given power through elections. Some just take power by force.
Central to the story of David and Goliath in today’s reading is the question of where power is centred.
The Philistine army is militarily and technologically sophisticated for the time. David on the other hand has no technology, other than the simple tools of a shepherd, and he certainly has no military might.
The Philistines operate believing that power lies with those who have the most military might. They put their trust in their super weapon – Goliath
The Israelites demonstrate by their inaction against the Philistines, that they also believe that power is located with weapons and military power.
Into this situation, where the military basis of power is accepted by the two nations, comes David bringing a radically different understanding of power relationships. David states his understanding of where power comes from. He is also willing to stake his own life on it. In his great speech in Samuel chapter 17 verses 45-47 he contrasts the power of the Philistines with the Power of God when he says “You come to me with sword and spear and javelin; but I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel whom you have defied”.
David claims the God of the Israelites as the one in whom power has its origin, and clearly states that God has means other than weapons by which to save his people. David demonstrates his commitment and his claim by coming up against Goliath with only the tools of a shepherd.
David becomes a hero by defeating Goliath and the Philistines. Later he becomes King of Israel whose story is told to this day. But the real story comes not from the actions of David alone. At the heart of the story is:
God’s faithfulness
God’s power and
God’s unique way of doing things
David’s role is to
respond faithfully to the call of God.
What we believe about power in the world today? And:
How does our relationship to God help us to discern the right use of power?
How do we respond as Christians to this story, when power in our world is so clearly divided between rich and poor both in this country and geographically across the world?
Individuals are often afraid of confronting other people with whom they disagree, frightened I guess of falling out with them, or fighting with them or maybe just not wanting the unpleasantness of disagreeing. I don’t know how comfortable you are in confronting others with whom you disagree. But, it’s clear that David is not afraid to speak and act against wrong, because he KNOWS that real power is based in, and originates from, God himself.
Despite the violence of the passage with Israelites fighting Philistines, and the slaughter of Goliath, this passage proclaims that God’s power not only makes the universe and sustains it, but works in the lives of individual human beings Like David for good and peace. In this passage he empowers one individual to take on a nation.
In the age we now live in, our weapons of mass destruction and technological power make the super weapons of the Philistines look like toys. So, as Christians, we have a special responsibility to consider, and ask searching questions, about how we should respond to those who abuse power, whether that is individual power, or corporate power or the power of governments.
We know that governments with tremendous power fall e.g. in the ending of the Soviet Union - a process repeated with powerful governments throughout history. The political process of change is always brought about when individuals see circumstances that they believe are wrong.
I remember being tremendously influenced by an old and very godly man, Bishop Neil Russell, who had spent most of his life in South Africa. He told of his conviction that the witness of Christians, and the growth of individuals who no longer believed they were slaves, had brought about the ferment that had changed South Africa from a state based on Apartheid and power for the minority, to one based on elections by the majority.
There are many examples throughout history where individuals and groups of people, change society for the better because they speak out for what they believe in. Christians stood out e.g. against slavery in this country and took on not just the wealthy and the government, but also the views of the church at that time.
So today we need to consider and be challenged by this passage, which proclaims that God’s power not only made the universe and sustains it, but who continues to work in our lives for good and peace.
In our daily lives, are we seen as those who live believing that power comes from God?
Are we seen as individuals who use our power for good?
Are we people who celebrate that power comes from God, and live like people empowered by God’s Spirit of love and compassion?
Do we understand that as individuals our role is to respond to situations we come up against where power is abused, speaking out against this, and proclaiming that power comes from God?
In our church and local community are we seen as successfully challenging the wrong use of power and demonstrating the good use of power?
Let’s pray today, that God gives us the courage, Like David, to stand up against the evil abuse of power and to live and act knowing that power comes from God, and that he intends US to use it to bring his love and compassion and peace into the world.