What is power? With this being a very volatile year in world history, many answers may jump to your mind. For some, power is being feared. Making leaders and civilians alike tremble at the thought of your capability for violence. For others, power is your ability to resist the actions of others. A refusal to simply bend the knee and kiss the ring. Still will say power is the ability to determine one’s own life. “I don’t care who the IRS sends, I’m still not paying my taxes” is how they greet everyone, because screw you, they can! However, as much as elements of these sentiments may speak to you or even myself (taxes are a bribe I pay my government not to jail me), there is a common thread between each perspective.
Each perspective is based in fear.
And even more telling, every singly one of them is stuck reacting to what other people do! The things you resist in life tend to persist. When you are stuck reacting to others, you can’t take any action for yourself.
For example, in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu the easiest way to win (for my weight class at least) is to push a little bit, and then, when your opponent pushes back, step to the side and snap him into the ground. The second he reacts and pushes in to you, you have all the initiative. This is not a new concept. In boxing it’s called a feint. In poker it’s called a bluff. And all the best players of life make others react to them.
“So how do I stop reacting to others?” Easy. You have to become vulnerable.
“But Mario!” you scream at me in your own head. “Being vulnerable means anyone could hurt me!” To which I say, only if you let them! Being vulnerable means that you openly display who you truly are. Owning who you are and what you have done, and concealing nothing when you do so, is to take a burden meant to hold you down and turn it in to a weight used to make yourself stronger. And the more you do this, the lighter the same weight will feel when you exercise.
How does this apply to the Banquet and Ball?
Let me tell you a story. December 29th, 2020. Due to COVID restrictions, the official entity behind the banquet and ball was not permitted to run any events in official capacity. A ragtag team went rogue and ran an underground ball. The leader of this event opened the affair with prayer and a monologue. He faced the temptation to boast about resisting tyranny and bravely defying the rulers of this world, making himself out to be a brave resistance leader.
instead, this man told us the story of committing his most shameful sin, and asked us to join him in dedicating this weekend to glorifying God, who transformed him. In this room were some of his closest friends, people he deeply admired and looked up to. This man made himself vulnerable and the most despicable person there. Then, asked us to follow him!
Were this any other event with any other context and purpose, most would have left in disgust and never spoken to him again. Instead, with such a brilliant display of humility, people had an easier time being vulnerable, and because of this some of the deepest bonds between brothers and sisters in Christ I have ever seen were formed. We all saw each other as we truly were, and were shocked to find that in spite of our own shame and sinful pasts, we were still loved by the people around us.
Much like Christ loves us in spite of our own shameful and disgusting pasts.
And so now you have a choice, dear reader. On one hand, you could very easily just…continue with life as it is now. I am sure things will turn out okay—even if other people’s actions affect you, so what? At least people will feel sorry for you when the powerful tread upon you. After all, pity is oh so comfortable a feeling.
On the other hand, if you take the path of power, you must surrender all of yourself to others, and to Christ. That means every shameful thing you have done will finally be brought to light. However, for those of you who are brave enough to stop hiding, you might look around yourself and realize the people who you thought were against you, were really just hiding as well. And that by finally being brave enough to be vulnerable, you are now brave enough to stand against the very things that were being used to hold you down.
Choose.