Full Power (Friday Devotional)

But I will come to you soon, if the Lord wills, and I will find out not the talk of these arrogant people but their power. For the kingdom of God depends not on talk but on power.

- 1 Corinthians 4:19-20

If you’d come to my backyard Monday night, you’d have found both me and my son wielding leaf blowers as we cleaned off the back patio. You’d have heard lots of loud noise, you’d have seen dirt and dead leaves swirling around, and you’d have had no reason to doubt that we were both hard at work.

But upon closer inspection, you’d have noticed something else: while my leaf blower was plugged into a wall outlet, Andrew’s had no cord. What’s more, while both were making a lot of noise, Andrew’s sounded more like the revving of a chain saw than a leaf blower’s jet fan. Most importantly, while my leaf blower was sending dirt flying, Andrew’s wasn’t seeming to impact its surroundings at all. That’s when it would suddenly become obvious: Andrew’s leaf blower, though a convincing imitation, is just a battery-operated toy. For real power, you need the real thing.

In our world, we struggle to distinguish between true power and facsimiles of it. When we want wisdom, we’re quick to settle for what tickles our ears. When we want strength, sometimes bullying seems close enough. When we want to hear words of life, we get impatient and fall for empty blustering.

But Scripture reminds us that the kingdom of God depends not on the appearance of power, but on the real thing. Big talk may sway people in the business world or at the ballot box, but God calls His people to more than words. Following Christ doesn’t mean debating on his behalf or shouting down his opponents, but making his way your way—healing when others hurt, forgiving when others judge, seeking righteousness when others content themselves with self-righteousness.

Looking and sounding like a follower of Christ isn’t that hard—learn the right verses, say the right things, and go to church every once in a while and you’ll fool most people. But looking like a disciple isn’t the same thing as being one, and the kingdom of God needs more than convincing likenesses. May your witness be filled with more than words—may it be filled with power.