Colour Supplement

Articles by Christians around the world

Sunday 29 April 2007

 

The wind or the sun?

A letter from Katharine Smith - Reader at St. Andrew's

 

 

The Sun and the Wind were arguing about which of them was the most powerful.  They decided to put it to the test.  “See that man walking along the road down there?” said the Wind, “I am so powerful I can take from him that coat he’s wearing”.  “Maybe” said the Sun, “but I, too, can take the coat from him and do it more quickly”. 

 

The Wind swooped down and blew hard into the man’s  face.  The man pushed against the force of the Wind and pulled the collar of his coat up.  The Wind whirled and swirled around him so hard the man had difficulty walking but the Wind could not remove the coat.  In fact, the harder he blew the more tightly the man clutched his collar and kept the coat wrapped around him.

 

The Sun began very gently as the Wind subsided and the man began to relax, releasing his collar and walking more easily.  The Sun smiled down on the man and enfolded him in a warm embrace which made the man lift his face to greet the Sun with joy. 

 

The man then removed his coat, no longer needing its protection against the biting Wind.[1]

 

Power and …..

 

Power has many forms.  It can be expressed in many ways.  We talk about men and women being “in power”; music, art and words, written or spoken, can be described as powerful.

 

Power can be used for many purposes.  It can be wielded as a weapon in the hands of those in authority to enforce their will on the weak; it can be used by orators to stir the wills of their listeners for good or ill; it is used by all of us in our relationships with others

 

The local political elections are upon us again and we’ll be voting for who we want to be powerful in our community.  That gives us considerable power too. 

 

By the time you read this it may well be that we will have appointed someone to be our new vicar – a position of a different sort of power in this parish 

 

…… and Responsibility

 

I’ve often thought that it would be good if we never used the word “power” without adding the words “and responsibility”.

 

Because we all have power over others and therefore also need to think about our responsibility for how we use that power and how it affects others.

 

We can be like the Wind, using strength and force to compel people to do what we want them to do. 

 

We can be like the Sun, warm and embracing and encouraging others to respond with gladness.

 

God’s Power

 

We have seen something of the nature of God’s power during Holy Week and Easter.  We have seen His power in Jesus:  the power of his love which never waivers, whatever is done to him and the power of his courage and integrity as he remains true to himself whatever the cost.  We’ve seen the power of God who brings new life and redemption out of unspeakable suffering and death.

 

In May we will see again the power of God given to Jesus as he ascends to heaven yet remains present to his followers for all time. 

 

We will see again the power of the Holy Spirit who, as a mighty and life-giving wind, ignites the fire of love, joy and peace in the hearts of those ready to receive it.

 

We all have power.  Let’s learn to exercise that power with humility and love, respecting the vulnerability of others.  Let’s seek to offer to God whatever power and authority we hold in our jobs, in the community, in the church and among our friends and families and ask him to guide and support us with the infinite, loving and merciful Power of his Holy Spirit.

 

With my love and prayers

 

Katharine

 

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