View from the Vicarage

Power under control

One of the subjects we tackled in our Lent series was humility.

We discovered it was not just a characteristic of Jesus himself but over and over again a feature of Jesus’ teaching imploring us to be humble and meek.

Meekness carries with it a sense of weakness that is not envied in today’s secular society.

However meekness defined as ‘power under control’ brings a new dimension to its understanding.

Jesus was a man but had the power of God within him and an angelic force about him. However, he didn’t seek to misuse that power but rather keep it under control, under wraps unless it was needed.

Sadly in these recent days we have been forcibly reminded of the abuse of power even in our schools. The allegations being made on social media are appalling and it has only been the death of Sarah Everard that has opened the flood gates and allowed the powerless and hitherto humiliated girls to speak up and be noted. What a terrible power struggle that has been.

May is the month when we remember how Jesus’ disciples were transformed from a powerless, fearful confused group of men and women to became a powerful force. Not only were they able to converse in a wide variety of languages but also to reach out to others and to see their numbers increase by 3,000 in one day.

Of course this was Pentecost and the fulfilment of a promise first made in Old Testament times and then affirmed by Jesus himself when he was preparing his disciples for his departure.

It was a key moment in the life of the church. No longer was the survival of the church dependent on human activity and enterprise but it was a spiritual work that only the Holy Spirit could prompt and inspire.

As we continue to see men’s and women’s lives transformed by the good news of Jesus we know this is the promised work of the Holy Spirit amongst us and still active after two millennia have passed.

As we remember the meekness of Jesus, the fear of the disciples and try to make sense of the power struggles in our schools let us be mindful of the power that came down at Pentecost and allow that power to be the driving force within our communities. John Rennie 15.04.21