Inaugurating Smart Power
Rev. Bill =
Barney
First Unit=
ed
Methodist,
January 25=
, 2009
“Follow me, =
and I
will make you fish for people.”
Mark 1: 17
“….They
preached with joyful urgency that life can be radically
different…” Mark =
6: 12 The Message
A couple =
weeks
ago, I followed the confirmation hearings for Secretary of State Hillary
Clinton with great interest. I was taken by her explanation of how power wi=
ll
be used in the upcoming Obama administration as it relates to international
diplomacy. She explained that there are three kinds of power employed by
governments in their international pursuits.
Hard powe=
r is
that used by the military to destroy and soft power is that which supplies
those in need with necessities such as food and shelter. The other, which she says will be
primarily employed by the Obama administration, is “smart power”
– that which uses negotiation and diplomacy and a reasoned balance of
hard and soft power. In my fu=
rther
study of “smart power”, I find that it offers power that does n=
ot
intentionally do harm or just pass out aide to those in need because it can,
because a particular party – a country or army or leader – can
overwhelm and dominate because it has all the marbles…or weapons as t=
he
case may be.
I would submit today =
that
“smart power” is primarily a power that “empowers”
others to lead, act, participate or respond in the face of the challenges a=
nd the
circumstances of life. A read=
ing of
today’s’ Gospel lessons immediately brought to mind that Jesus =
was
indeed a purveyor – if not the originator – of “smart
power”. Never one to tu=
rn
immediately to physically destructive power or to hand out welfare willy ni=
lly,
Jesus was the master of empowerment.
When Jesu=
s sent
the disciples out to preach and teach a new love message, he first empowered
them to lead, act, participate and respond appropriately to all the challen=
ges
and circumstances they may encounter.
Listen again to this version from Mark 6:
"Don't think you need a lot of extra
equipment for this. You are the equipment. No special appeals for funds. Ke=
ep
it simple. 9 =
10 =
"And
no luxury inns. Get a modest place and be content there until you leave. 11 =
"If
you're not welcomed, not listened to, quietly withdraw. Don't make a scene.
Shrug your shoulders and be on your way."
Employing “smart power” spreads =
not
only Jesus’ teachings, but it spreads the work around. It does not respect “Lone
Rangerism”. It gives more people the opportunity to lead and be a par=
t of
life changing decision-making – in a nation, in a state, in a communi=
ty,
in a church…even in the home!
There were many nuggets alluding to the real=
m of
“smart power” in President Barack Obama’s inauguration
speech. One nugget was the following, which reminded me of the church:
He said:
“What the cynics fail=
to
understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them — that the sta=
le
political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The
question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small,
but whether it works — whether it helps families find jobs at a decent
wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answe=
r is
yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end.
Those of us who manage the public's dollars will be held to account —=
to
spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day
— because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people a=
nd
their government.”
Let’s
try that again in our realm right here in my own paraphrase:
What
church leaders fail to understand is that the ground h=
as
shifted beneath them – that the stale theological and biblical dogmas
that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask is n=
ot
whether our church is too traditional or too contemporary, but whether it w=
orks
– whether it helps individuals and families find direction in life, an
opportunity the serve and the empowerment to share the teachings of Jesus, =
by
their way of life. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where
the answer is no, ministry programs or styles of worship or whatever, will
end. Those of us who manage t=
he
church’s dollars and ministries will be held to account – to sp=
end
wisely, reform old worn out habits, and do our business in the light of love
– because only then can we restore the vital balance between reason,
experience, scripture and tradition – between spirit, body, mind and
heart.
Apologies to The President for taking libert=
ies
with his words, but I am thankful that much that he promises to implement in
the nation can be applied also to the church. Barack Obama calls on every o=
ne
of us to do our part, to live more sacrificially and to care for others as
never before. He knows that it is only by empowering the people, that his
visions and dreams will make the necessary difference for success.
If our churches are going to move forward and
not fail in the next few years, we too must empower the many to lead and ma=
ke
crucial decisions in a 21st century mode – not in the mode
which got us to where we are today. Modern day young disciples can be empow=
ered
as well as the first twelve, if we will let the spirit of the one from
So what is the state of the church today, the
church generally and may be this Church in particular. Where the shoe fits =
we
must be willing to wear it.
Hear what a reading in our last session of Living The Questions has to say to=
us
– I read directly from the beginning of the lesson:
“Creativity
and innovation are valued and sought after qualities in virtually every hum=
an
endeavor – except religion. In many faith traditions, it is tradition
itself that is worshipped, held up as the whole purpose of the religious
enterprise. Be it infatuation with “smells and bells”[familiar =
to
former Roman Catholics] or resistance to the use of inclusive language, many
faithful people have confused defense of their understanding of right pract=
ice
and right thinking with what they call “faith”. The insulate themselves from the
unpredictable, demanding, transforming nature of the Spirit with a fierce,
pious, unbending commitment to the Church. They practice what Fr. Richard R=
ohr
has called a “cosmetic piety” intended to look good on the surf=
ace,
but lacking any real depth or complexity. Defense of the changeless nature =
of
their revealed “truth” becomes a virtue to be aspired to,
regardless of how lifeless and rote the practice itself becomes.
(quoted directly from Living The Questions 2,
Lesson 20 “Creative Transformation”, page 1)
The rest of this lesson presents with honesty
and integrity many of the challenges every church must face up to if the 21=
st
century is to be a century for the Good News of Jesus Love to be spread acr=
oss
the land.
I suggest that we ask every leader and poten=
tial
leader in this Church to read this entire lesson. It WILL enlighten us for a
future with “smart power”.
Most of all, I want to leave us today with a
place to start. I invite once
again, for each person in this church, who has a leadership position and is=
50
or older - sorry those who have just turned 50 – to find an apprentice
under 50, so that you can begin to share your leadership and eventually turn
your leadership over to a younger person, while you are still able to be a
vital cheer from the sidelines.
We older folks don’t need to step out =
of
the picture but we MUST become purveyors of “smart power” ̵=
1;
empowering young folks – if the church is to move forward, out of hos=
pice
care, and into the stream of vital presence.
Our young President deserves our support as =
he
surrounds himself primarily with those of his generation. Our young Pastor
deserves our support in mentoring those of his generation to surround him w=
ith
the energy and the ideas of the 21st century.
Failure to do this will be at our churchR=
17;s
peril.
Inaugurating smart power in the nation or in=
the
church can be challenging and controversial. It may turn our world upside d=
own
– particularly if we are over 50. In that, it will do exactly what th=
ose
first disciples did when they “preached with joyful urgency that life=
can
be radically different.” It was said of them – followers of Jes=
us
– that “they turned the world upside down”. May it be
so! Amen.
1