Power Plays While The Powerless Prays

Back in 1976 two brilliant things took place.

The first is by far the most important to me. Rowland and Gail Dryden who had recently become man and wife bore their first child together. Ruth Dryden is my sister and is one year older than me, but for all the world she might as well have been 10 years older such was her complete dominance in my life. When I left for university I was able to appreciate that my older sister was actually just a protective figure who genuinely wanted the best for me, even if it didn’t come across that way.

In her way she was a very powerful woman who exerted her power through influence and the control of information. She remains a quite remarkable woman for her uncanny ability to ingratiate herself with people and yet remain sufficiently distant from them so as to maintain control. She is a superbly generous woman and remains one of the most amazing I’ve come across.

The second brilliant thing to happen in 1976 was the BBC broadcasting one of the greatest television dramas of the 20^th Century I, Claudius. Based on a set of novels by someone called Robert Graves the drama focuses on the written works of Claudius a Roman Emperor and the Roman rulers who ruled before him.

The story tells of plots and intrigue, lies and deceits, power and corruption. What I like about a good drama is how it highlights the intrinsic aspects of human nature. This programme shows them in abundance from the human desire for loyalty and trust to their conceit to bring about the downfall of enemies. The insecurities that propel people to finding security in props of power and respect.

In the earlier episodes of the drama we see the machinations of the Augustus the Emperor’s wife Livia. Due to the web of marriages and divorces, although she is the Emperor’s wife, her son doesn’t yet have access to succeed Augustus and a number of others are put in the way. Yet each potential successor suffers some mysterious fatal mishap until Augustus himself is killed and Livia’s son finally becomes the Emperor.

The extent to which Livia exercises her influence over her husband and over the key players in the political system to achieve her ends is masterful. Yet it also highlights the thing about the nature of evil and the very essence of sin. As she watches her poisoned husband breathe his last, she laments that all she’s ever done was not out of selfishness but has been for him and for Rome. The viewer may reach a very different conclusion.

Look, however, in the heart. Look at how often excuse is made for sin and justification is made to continue in it for reasons that don’t appear selfish or wrong, but are as superficial as Livia’s contentions. Stop and look.

Is it not true that as weak and feeble beings longing for love and security, respect and admiration we can allow ourselves down a road of compromise and subtle deceit. And if we become engrained in the rationalisations for that slippery road, we become blind to the very real weights that are dragging us to a messy conclusion.

The power corrupts issue is not just a case of power in its most obvious sense like positions, power comes in all shapes and sizes. Power as control in relationships, power as exerting authority over whatever resources we can. You don’t have to be a Roman Emperor, British Prime Minister, American President, chief executive or a pastor to be susceptible.

Thank God for the light of the gospel that not only brings the reality of the human condition, but also brings the cleansing power of Christ to show us that we are forgiven of it and there is a path of righteousness for us to travel. On this path with godly wisdom and humility we can avoid the pitfalls and traps of power plays and rather give all over to the One who has all power anyway.

For His Name’s Sake

Shalom

dmcd