Power Series – Part Three

“You will receive POWER when Holy Spirit comes on you TO BE My representative…” Acts 1:8a

What do you think, “do people of power shape culture”?

“Encroaching darkness!” As these words pierce your thoughts what comes to your mind? Charles Colson used this phrase, in his book, “Against the Night Living in the New Dark Ages“(1989), to describe the age he was living in and what he saw approaching. Colson wrote to challenge people of power to take responsibility for re-shaping culture.

The problem with the question posed above is that it places responsibility for shaping culture on “people OF power” as opposed to “people WITH power”. People OF power takes people without position off the hook and suggests they have no influence on the shaping of culture. If the idea of cultural responsibility is embraced by all people, then all people will be impelled to increase their cultural awareness and engage with culture, not as culture critics but as culture-makers.

This is the way of Jesus. At one-point He said, “As long as I am in the world I am the light of the world.” (John 9:5). He also said, “You are the light of the world…” (Matthew 5:14-16). Light, as a metaphor for power, challenges us to engage with culture. Engage, not as culture critics but as culture makers, invites a new vocabulary, new conversations and ultimately new ways of engagement. Perhaps new questions about our calling as followers of Jesus is the starting place?

Prayer

As the sun rises slowly, silently and surely each day until it reaches it blazing noon day brilliance let it be for me Lord. Let my light so shine that culture will be made better because of my presence. Let my light so shine, that people will be changed by the presence of your goodness made visible through me! Amen.

Prepared by Kervin Raugust
The Inside Out Journey