The Temptation to be Powerful

         When it comes to leadership, many leaders are faced with the temptation to be powerful. According to Henri Nouwen, the anecdote is theological reflection. In this paper, I will reveal what positive lifestyles Nouwen sees in a surrendered person, and whether I am a demonstration of this. I will also examine what it means to say “when I am weak then I am strong, when I am strong it is then I am weak” and what John Maxwell means when he says, “We must give up to go up”. Finally I will discuss why theological reflection is the anecdote to wanting to be powerful.

          The temptation of power seems so irresistible to many leaders. The reason why is because “It is that power offers an easy substitute for the hard task of love. It seems easier to be God than to be love, easier to control people than to love people, easier to own life than to love life” (Nouwen, 1989, p.77). Nouwen reveals that when a person is completely surrendered, he or she will bring about a positive lifestyle. Powerlessness and humility are characteristics that a surrendered life require. These characteristics “refer to people who are so deeply in love with Jesus that they are ready to follow Him wherever He guides them, always trusting that, with Him, they will find life and find it abundantly” (Nouwen, 1989, p.84). Due to the person's selflessness, he or she has the ability to let God lead him or her into true communion and to lead people into the eternal will of God. When this occurs, this person's life will be more fulfilled and joyful, creating a more positive lifestyle.

           Honestly, I do not believe that I am a demonstration of the positive lifestyle that Nouwen sees in the surrendered person. I believe at one point I was; I gave my heart to God daily and laid down everything at His feet. But lately, I have built up so much worry and I am lacking trust in turning my life over to Him. I have been facing the temptation to be powerful for awhile now. I believe the saying, “When I am weak then I am strong, when I strong it is then I am weak” is a great reminder for me. I need to remember that when I am weak is when I am strongest because I have God carrying me and leading me in His path. Yet, when I am strong, is when I am weakest due to my reliance on my self-help and not allowing God to help me. Only when I surrender my heart to Him will He lead me and in order to do that, I must become vulnerable and weak to allow Him to fill me with His strength.

       When John Maxwell says, “We must give up to go up” he means that we are going to have to let go of what we have to take hold of something better. Maxwell believes that if leaders remain the same in how he or she does things, then he or she risks growing stagnant. So as leaders, we must adapt and adjust to cultures and new trends. When change comes, we must embrace it as possibility and trust that God knows what He is doing with us.

         As I mentioned before, Nouwen unveils that theological reflection is the anecdote to wanting to be powerful. The reason theological reflection works is because it allows leaders to discern critically where they are being led (Nouwen, p.85). “Theological reflection is reflecting on the painful and joyful realities of every day with the mind of Jesus and thereby raising human consciousness to the knowledge of God's gentle guidance” (Nouwen, 1989, p.88). When leaders are using theological reflection he or she is allowing the Holy Spirit to guide what he or she is doing and not allowing for independence to kick in and take over. A leader must always be taking captive his or her thoughts and comparing them to the word of God, then casting out anything that is not of God that sneaks into his or her thoughts.

         In conclusion, as leaders, one must allow his or her self to be surrendered to God's will and allow God to be the strength that empowers his or her self and ministry. Also leaders must take into account changes and meditate on what is best to help grow his or her ministry and bring glory to God.

Reference:

 Nouwen, H. J. (1989). In the name of Jesus: reflections on Christian leadership. New York: Crossroad.