Left-Handed Power

I was reading a while back in Robert Farrar Capon's Book on parables about the difference between right-handed power and left-handed power.

Right-handed power is the way the world uses power. Win through intimidation - might makes right - management techniques of Attila the Hun. This power is effective and so easily picked up. It is the road that people continued to push Jesus toward and is the path that he so thoroughly resisted.

Left-handed power is the power of the person and is a dismissed by the world. Live by dying - lead by serving - win by losing. Nonsense! Ridiculous! How can it make any sense to let so much potential go to waste!

"Jesus, you can turn every last stone to bread and feed the world. Your reign will go down in the books as the most humanitarian in history."

"What power you have, Jesus. Look as far as you can in any direction and with what you have we can rule the world!"

"Amazing! Jesus, you have to show them what's in your bag of tricks. With your spectacular moves and our marketing strategies, all people everywhere will see and believe."

Left-handed power is so counter-intuitive and so embarrassingly unsophisticated and yet the humble God of the Universe considered equality with God not something to be held tightly to, humbled himself and became a servant. I don't get it!

All that to say, I began to pray about this and asked God if he would show me how to live a life of left-handed power. The irony was too hilarious! I started to laugh - I'm praying for left-handed power and I don't even have a left hand, God!

"Exactly!" I heard God whisper. "Your weakness is my strength. The things that are not is what I use. Your brokenness is the instrument I use to heal."

I look down to the left side of my body and see nothing there; however, whenever I'm in public the empty place at the end of my arm is all that most people stare at.

What a paradox - what is not there gets the most stares. What is my loss has become my greatest gain. My weakest place is God's most powerful instrument.

Left-handed power - you amaze me God!