Power Hungry

This week, as I have been working on my message for Sunday morning, I have been quite aware of how I use my power and the power that I give those around me. My 12 year old daughter is struggling with a bullying incident that append in our neighborhood. She know the children involved on both sides and she knows that what is being said in the news is not the full story. A child has been given power and is not using the power wisely. If he did tell the truth the news wouldn't have much to report about the story. So there is also an issue of justice, but my daughter can't speak that yet; her youth has not given her the words to go with the experience. Jeremiah worked with, spoke against, how ever you want to word it, kings or shepherds that did not do their jobs well for over forty years in his ministry. How did he manage to "be in the world and not of the world"? How did he manage not to become corrupted by the systems he worked in? He must have had good self-care. We all have power and influence. I believe that we need to use or power to glorify the one who blessed us with the gifts that give us power; so often we don't. We don't see ourselves as shepherds, we seem to like to play the powerless card in our hand rather than the card that says I have power. Many of us are unaware that we have power. Many of us could care less about what we have been blessed with. I know it hurts God. It hurts me as a pastor too.