You May Have More Power than You Think

There’s one exercise I distinctly remember from a regional gathering of ministry interns and supervisors. We were asked to place ourselves on a line in relation to what power we felt we held in that room.

I placed myself at the lowest end of the line.

I placed myself at the lowest end of the line. I was not yet ordained and hadn’t yet finished my education, was fairly low income, was the one learning in that room and not teaching, and I was one of the youngest women, who also lives with a physical disability (Cerebral Palsy).

When we were all in place, the leader went down the line speaking to us about how we placed ourselves. Hearing my response, she shared how she saw my power in the room. I was the only one serving on the denominational governing body. I was also representing The United Church of Canada at the World Council of Churches, among other things. She challenged me to be more aware of how these roles and experiences shape my power.

Hearing my response, she shared how she saw my power in the room.

Placing ourselves and recognizing the power we do hold or lack is one thing – hearing how others view us and the power they experience is another. We all hold power and power in and of itself is a neutral concept. It is the way in which we use power and how others experience our use that can encourage or abuse, lift up or tear down others.

This insight into ourselves and our relationships is not easy to recognize or pleasant to hear. If we're oblivious to the power we hold or how others experience that power, as I was when I placed myself on the line, we can harm others or shape social interactions in ways that demean others without even being aware of it. Learning about how we hold, use, and perhaps misuse power, takes trust in relationships with ourselves, with others in community, and with God.

This insight into ourselves and our relationships is not easy to recognize or pleasant to hear.

We are approaching Holy Week, the time of being with Jesus in his final days. I love dwelling in that space between Palm Sunday and Holy Saturday.

One of the moments that challenges and comforts me is when Jesus takes a basin and a towel and washes his disciples’, his friends’ feet (John 13). In this simple action, Jesus demonstrates his power with humility and vulnerability, in service and in love. Simon Peter reacts to this, wondering why Jesus, with his power as a leader, would do this. Jesus responds by saying this action will unite them. When he is finished, he asks, “Do you know what I have done for you? You call me Teacher and Lord—and you are right. So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.” (John 13:14)

I love dwelling in that space between Palm Sunday and Holy Saturday.

It comforts me to know that Jesus extends his love in such a posture of humility and vulnerability. In the face of others asserting power over him through his crucifixion, Jesus remains grounded in the power, granted by God, to be in relationship with others. And Jesus challenges me to do likewise, to use my power to serve rather than seeking power in order to be served.

Sitting with my experience at the gathering and Jesus’ action of footwashing leads me to reflect on how we as leaders and members of the Body of Christ are aware of and use our power. Jesus uses his power to love and serve God’s people and God’s world. In order to model a different way of using power, he had to be aware of the power he held, the gift from God.

We are given the power and the call to love and serve as Jesus did.

In my ranking of my power, I was not aware of how others saw me. I was not acting out of humility, but out of an unawareness, reflecting on the ways the society marginalizes me (based on income, ability, gender) instead of ways God has given me power and Jesus tells me to use that power in service and in love.

Indeed, our social identities impact the ways in which we see and demonstrate our own power, but it is not the whole story. As beloved children of God we are given the power and the call to love and serve as Jesus did.

As leaders in the church and in community, we have power, whether or not we see it. Our congregations will be strengthened when we are aware of how we hold and use power. Some questions we might ask ourselves, pray with God, and talk with others about are:

• What power do I hold? What power does the world say I hold and what power does God say I hold?
• How do others experience my power? Is it different than my own perception? Why?
• How do I, as an individual, use power to love and serve? How do/might we, as a community, use power to love and serve?
• Reflect on the narrative of Jesus’ foot-washing, among other stories of Jesus, and explore the ways he is aware of his power and uses his power. How is he setting an example for us?

May we continue to honour God in our ministry, in using power in service and in love, with humility and vulnerability.

[Photo by Miguel Bruna on Unsplash]