In 1887, in a letter to Bishop Mandell Creighton, John Emerich Edward Dalberg Acton - better known as Lord Acton - wrote these words: "Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men."
That thought came to my mind as I have been reading accounts of the arrest of the Governor of Illinois on charges of political corruption. Governor Blagojevich has been accused...no, I take that back...he has been known to have said that the vacant Senate seat in Illinois would go to the highest bidder. Furthermore, he said that if no one met the price, then he would appoint himself to that seat. Now corruption is nothing new in Illinois politics. I remember living in Chicago back in the early 1980's and the expression "vote early and vote often" was a rule of thumb. The church I served witnessed first hand political corruption. And now, Governor Blagojevich, if convicted, would join three previous Illinois governors who bear the title of "felon." Yes, Lincoln would roll over in his grave.
Now the question will be asked: What did President-elect Obama know about this corrupt practice? Investigations will be forth-coming, and well they should be. And I trust the media will do a more careful investigation than they did during the months prior to the election. Our nation certainly does not need another "Watergate" early in a new administration.
Why is Lord Acton correct in his statement? Unfortunately we have witnessed the reality of this truth over and over again. Politicians, business leaders, and even pastors have fallen in disgrace. Power does corrupt. But does it have to? I believe the answer is no. Just look at Jesus.
He was the incarnate Son of God. He was God in the flesh. All authority under heaven and upon earth was invested in Him. Now that is a lot of power. But how did Jesus use that power? Did He use it to advance Himself? Did He use it to intimidate people to bow to His authority? Absolutely not! Jesus Christ came not to be served, but to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many. There is the key: Jesus came to serve others. Jesus used His powers to minister to the needs of others. The focus of Jesus was upon others. So He ministered to tax collectors and prostitutes. He touched lepers and those who were unclean. He ate meals with sinners. Jesus wept unashamedly at the tomb of Lazarus; but also spoke strong words against the demonic spirit that possessed a young boy. Jesus came to serve.
Friends, there is the difference between Governor Blagojevich and Jesus. Governor Blagojevich used his power and position to further his own quest for more power. Jesus served others. How sad that our leaders, not only in politics and business, but also in our churches, have forgotten how to serve others.
Lord, give us the heart of a servant. Help us to use the power and positions You have given to us to minister to others. Help us not to seek the applause of men, nor to seek to add to our estimation of who we are. But help us to do it for Jesus' sake. Amen.
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