Power and our choices

The sun was shining that day and as it sparkled through the window it lite up the old piney desk that I was sitting at exposing in great detail all its blemishes.  I was feeling just as sunny as that sun, with a tune in my head I had entered that classroom with a lot of expectation, enthusiasms and as always optimism.  I was ready to start this next chapter of my life and the shinning light that morning was like a sign from God that indeed this was going to be a good day, a good start to college.  My first class was a sociology class and from that first bright day I was hooked.  I remember being so enthralled reading about Stanley Milgram and his multiple experiments, so much so that later in life I bought and read his biography.  The man was brilliant.   

One particular experiment of his has always stuck out and struck me: the question he was trying to answer: How did Hitler happen?  How did seemingly good people allow Hitler to take over and how were the Nazis born?  His experiment? Get people to electrocute others  because someone in authority is asking, even if they are visible hurting.

His results?: It worked. People actually did just that.  And it proved a good point...people are willing to blindly follow leaders / people of authority and that most people, despite what they think, go along with the status quo.  I have said in post past that most "good" people actually usually do nothing and continue along trying to "keep peace" or be politically correct.  It actually takes an extraordinary person to stand up and actually state the truths ... it takes a person to be bold.

Sometimes we choose our leaders, sometimes a leader just happens before anyone has realized and sometimes leaders start out as rebels.  Jesus was the leader that started out as a rebel.  Jesus called on the leaders of the day and asked the hard questions.  Jesus did not just sit back but instead watch the leaders.  Jesus was bold.  Jesus was not naïve and most importantly Jesus did not let his (God's) ideals get all mucked up but rhetoric.

During the election season I can't help but begin to rethink our political system when all we do is demonize the "other" - be it the whole party, individual people or groups of people outside the political arena.  And yet as Christian we are called to be bold and to call our leaders out on their bad ways.  We are called NOT to be the good people letting bad or even doing evil but instead called to STOP or change that ... yet most of the time we sit back and do nothing or worse get on the band-wagon and help evil. 

As we approach Lent and we are called to examine our relationship with God and we challenge ourselves Spirit.  I say we challenge ourselves not by giving up some type of food, but instead give up on othering.  - perhaps a new word I just created other + ing - Give up on making people "others" and instead begin to look at people, all people, with the love of God.  Instead of looking at someone and noticing what makes them different, reminder yourself that God loves them.  Realize the scary path we take when we begin to think of anyone as an "other" and instead be bold - be Jesus BOLD - and accept all who come your way with an open hand. 

The search for power can lead to power because of fear or power because of love.  I would rather live in a country of power because we are all proud and more importantly because we stand united in love then live in a country of power because of fear.  I would rather stand united in love than stand united against an other in fear.  We are more powerful when we stand in love.  We are more powerful when we unite because we truly want to be together. 

Our choices this political season should be made not out of fear but because we know that Christ would agree.  Not the Christ that is on TV.  Not the Christ that others have made him out to be; but the Christ that YOU know personal.  The Christ from the Bible.  Let us live into our Boldness and live free of fear.  Let us this Lent reflect on how each person we meet is a Child of God and remember that God is working in them just as God is working in us in this world.  Let us rebuke the fear and give love!