Lord Acton, a noble of Groppoli, wrote this in a letter to a priest at the end of the 19th century: “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men...” Acton was pointing out an inherent danger of obtaining power, prestige, and popularity – pride!
Paul said of the hunger for money in 1 Timothy 6:9-10, “Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” As you read that verse in context, Paul had been addressing the need to honor those leaders who work hard among you… “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain,” and “The worker deserves his wages.” (Deuteronomy 25:4 and Leviticus 19:13). But ultimately he was addressing the risky position of “desiring the office of overseer” both for those who follow their leadership and those who lead. Power is a sensitive quality to claim.
Jesus had already described the kind of leader that was worthy in God’s eyes. He said after He washed the disciples’ feet in John 13:13-16, “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.” He had said earlier in Matthew 23:11, “The greatest among you will be your servant. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
In Luke 18:10-14, Jesus tells a parable of two men: Pharisee and a tax-collector. As we’ study through Luke, we can see how much attention Jesus gives towards the arrogance of those who “think” they are the righteous ones. They thought of themselves as the religiously powerful ones, which would prove to be their failing.
Seriously consider the point Jesus is making in the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:3-10)… “Blessed are the: the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, those who are persecuted because of righteousness… for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” The power of God isn’t in worldly power but in humility.
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