by Mark Chatfield
via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 17 No. 4, June 30, 1991

Several days ago, I went for a lunchtime walk near the Air and Space Museum in downtown Washington, D.C., near my office. I was considering the fine weather and fresh breeze. Suddenly, a sheet from the Washington Post skittered diagonally across the walk in front of me. It came to rest just by my left foot. I had to step out of the way to keep it from getting wrapped around my ankle. When I stepped past the litter, a Park Ranger walking with the breeze behind the paper stooped down to pick it up. As he did, he mumbled something to the effect. "You walked right past it."

Somehow, I was restrained from saying something equally thoughtless. I reflected on how my tax money was paying him. He was hired to keep the area clean and had a duty to consider public relations. No doubt he expected me to pick up every piece of paper and each wad of ABC gum on the sidewalk (ABC stands for Already Been Chewed). Maybe I should have picked up the paper, but whether right or wrong, he found out that he did not control me by just mumbling about it after the fact. If he had pointed a gun at me and ordered me to chase after the paper, surely I would have done so. If the day before, he had spent an hour or so telling me how it is every citizen's responsibility to keep our environment clean, I probably would have been sufficiently influenced to retrieve the litter. But he didn’t, and I took the first action that came to mind - not what he would have had me do.

"Control what you eat and drink."

"Control what you read."

"Control who you associate with."

Hardly a day goes by without hearing about the need to be in control. We most certainly should have self-control. Each person who keeps his personal habits in check is better off. Everyone benefits by living within the rules of society and the laws of the land.

Christians are instructed to go beyond complying with the law. They are instructed to control lust, language, envy, anger, and other thoughts and actions that are contrary to God's will. This is apparent to virtually every Christian, but it is not the object of this article. Rather, this paper deals with a few points on "how" some people control others. Sometimes, this has good results, but too often, power is misused, resulting in someone unfairly and manipulatively controlling another.

This subject, the control of others, is very closely related to the subjects of influence and power. Influential and powerful people control others. Manipulated people are controlled by others further up in the power hierarchy. So, what gives a person the ability to control others? There are sources of power, bases of power, and styles of power. Understanding how power is derived can help us see how we might be manipulated and caused to stumble. Knowing about power can also help us be bolder Christians. After all, God's power through Christ motivates us and permits us to influence others to seek Him.

Sources of Power

Someone highly skilled at speaking has speech as a power source. If he or she gets laryngitis, the power in this area is gone. Someone who is president of a club has the title and the club charter as the source of power. If either is lost, the power in that club is lost. Someone who has the gospel of Christ as his or her power source has the ultimate authority to rely upon. It cannot be eroded.

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek" (Romans 1:16).

"What is my reward then? Verily that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel" (I Corinthians 9:18).

A person with much money or a title, such as "King," has a traditional, artificial power source. A very knowledgeable and respected person has earned a real power source. Bible examples of those with artificial power include hypocritical Pharisees and those born into positions like the Caesars. On the other hand, Jesus' power with men was real. He had knowledge, respect, charisma, honesty, creativity, and interest in others.

In the church, a person serving as a teacher, evangelist, deacon, or elder may be given artificial power by those who think of them as having a certain "rank" in the church. This is contrary to the way Christ established the church. To have real power in the church, one must be a servant.

"But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many" (Matthew 20:26-28).

Bases of Power

A base of power is the arena of influence one person may have. The Queen of England has a powerful title but a very small power base. The Prime Minister has been given the actual authority to make binding decisions on behalf of the government. So, regardless of the title, a person's power base is dictated by the authority that other people grant them. The base of power indicates how much real power they have. Jesus has all authority and power.

"Jesus saith unto them, 'Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes?'" (Matthew 21:42).

Christians who look to themselves as their base of power are headed for trouble. The same goes for those who look for power in church leaders. The preacher, class teachers, deacons, and elders should all be strong, righteous, trustworthy, and honest. However, since they are humans, they should not be looked to for power in saving the soul. Such power belongs to God through His Son. More specifically, God shows great power in hearing the gospel preached.

"For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God" (I Corinthians 1:18).

Styles of Power

A style of power is the approach a person takes in exercising influence over others. Mahatma Gandhi exercised great power through quiet protest and kind words. Adolf Hitler used charismatic, emotional, bombastic speeches combined with nationalism and militaristic threats. Jesus used love and wonderful words to encourage those who would learn of him. He used honest rebukes toward those who were insincere and hypocritical. Paul was flexible in his style of power.

"And unto Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law. To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some" (I Corinthians 9:20-22).

Putting it all together

What should we look for to recognize when we should yield to the control of others? What elements of power help us influence others in the way God would have us influence them? How can we tell if we are being manipulated? Is it possible to see in advance that we are being led astray by someone wielding power that is not properly derived or controlled?

Here are some suggestions with scriptural examples:

Have Information

The first step is having firsthand knowledge of information or ready solutions to questions and problems. When Hilkiah found the Book of the Law, he discovered a significant power base.

"And Hilkiah the high priest said unto Shaphan the scribe, 'I have found the book of the law in the house of the Lord.' And he gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it" (II Kings 22: 8).

Develop Expertise

After finding the book of the law, Josiah read it. He studied and ensured others were aware of God's teachings.

"And the king went up into the house of the Lord, and all the men of Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem with him, and the priests, and the prophets, and all the people, both small and great: and he read in their ears all the words of the book of the covenant which was found in the house of the Lord" (II Kings 23:2).

Have a Position with Expertise

After demonstrating to Pharaoh that he had first-hand knowledge and expertise, Joseph was appointed to a powerful government position. His power with the position was much greater than his power while he was in prison.

"And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph's hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck; And he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried before him, 'Bow the knee:' and he made him ruler over all the land of Egypt" (Genesis 41:42-43).

Be Authoritative

If Joseph had never made any decisions or ordered anyone to do anything, he would have soon lost his power.

"And when all the land of Egypt was famished, the People cried to Pharaoh for bread: and Pharaoh said unto all the Egyptians, 'Go unto Joseph; what he saith to you, do'" (Genesis 41:55).

Have Respect

This is not only for respect for others but also for self-respect, as it allows you to welcome the esteem others have for you. Solomon had such a reputation that the Queen of Sheba came to visit. He did not shyly send her away, saying, "I don't deserve all this." He gracefully accepted her visit, and his power increased even more.

"And she said to the king, 'It was a true report that I heard in my own land of thy acts and of thy wisdom'" (I Kings 10:6).

Care

Show respect for others, even at your own expense. When King Saul threatened David, David never faltered in showing care and concern, which gave him added power.

"And he said unto his men, 'The Lord forbid that I should do this thing unto my master, the Lord's anointed, to stretch forth mine hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the Lord'" (I Samuel 24:6).

Reward People

Paul began virtually every epistle, even the scorching admonition to the Corinthians, with a sincere compliment and greeting. He let people know he appreciated their good points. He rewarded them with sincerely kind words.

"I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ; That in everything ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge" (I Corinthians 1:4-5).

Take Away Problems

God displayed His power through Elisha when Naaman was cleansed of his leprosy. We cannot miraculously cure disease, but our time, words, effort, and money may help remove others' problems.

"Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others" (Philippians 2:3-4).

Give Negative Consequences

Paul asked the Corinthians if they wanted him to come with a rod. A willingness to discipline is needed to confront sin. A spirit of meekness is best to confirm good works.

"What will ye? Shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love, and in the spirit of meekness?" (I Corinthians 4:21).

Take Away Positive Consequences

Moses, when he failed to give God due credit, lost his opportunity to enter the promised land. The ability to remove positive consequences and, in doing so, increase in power and influence is the highest form of power.

"And the Lord said unto Moses, 'Get thee up into this mount Abarim, and see the land which I have given unto the children of Israel. And when thou hast seen it, thou also shalt be gathered unto thy people, as Aaron thy brother was gathered. For ye rebelled against my commandment in the desert of Zin, in the strife of the congregation, to sanctify me at the water before their eyes:' that is the water of Meribah in Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin" (Numbers 27:12-14).

Bringing It Forward to Today

Let's examine how some of these ideas can be applied to our daily lives.

Think of someone who controlled you at one time. Your parents, spouse, or a friend, for instance. What was the source of their power? How would you classify whether their power was of a real or artificial source? If it were real power, consider how they established that power. Which of the above steps were used? Did you grant them control over you, or was it usurped?

We have little to worry about if the person who influences and controls us is honest, upright, and Godly. Unfortunately, that is not always the case. You have a choice when your supervisor lets you know that your refusal to have a beer with the rest of the workers hurts company morale. Either you can let yourself be controlled and go along with this supervisor, or you can recognize the use of artificial power and handle the situation firmly. Artificial power, using position to influence, is inferior to real power. Each of us has access to real power, and in that fact, we can have great hope. God gives of His power freely. Refusing to yield to artificial power while still showing care and respect will allow us to show our self-control and also glorify God by our actions.

It would be nice if Christians never had to worry about other Christians exercising undue authority or power over them. For this to happen would mean Christians are not human., In addition, the danger may be worse for Christians. It is not only normal; it is expected that one Christian will trust another. If there is an error to be made, let us make it on the side of trusting another Christian. However, let us also be circumspect. Remember, Hymanaeus and Philetus were among Christians, manipulating and leading them astray.

Sometimes, people can be so close to us that we fail to recognize an evil influence. Let us never be led into the trap of one saying, "If you love me, you will trust me." God says we are to love our enemies and trust in God, not man.

A Bible class teacher is in a position of authority over the class. It is a position of power and control. The teacher controls the students' pace of learning as well as much of the content of the material presented. How much students learn depends mainly on how the teacher handles the class. A calm atmosphere of learning and exchanging ideas is appropriate and beneficial to all, even if disagreements are expressed. It is often through disagreements that the most learning takes place. Discussions of differing opinions show that a teacher is enabling and encouraging learning. Bible class teachers should not bore students by going too slow or intimidate students by going too fast. There is minimal value in going too slow and no value in keeping students off guard. Our Bible classes should be taught in a way that permits as many as possible to ask questions without feeling overwhelmed or shy.

A teacher does not need to feel insecure about not knowing all the answers. Nor should teachers be discouraged if they make a mistake. Mistakes are difficult learning experiences, not excuses for quitting or for becoming defensive.

Some people can't stand to be thought of as inferior. These people tend to talk "down" to others. One way they speak down to others is to use labels. Look out for anyone who engages in name-calling to keep you on the defensive. Some call this the "Me Tarzan, you Jane" syndrome. Just mentioning a word like "stupid" or "dumb" implies that the speaker is superior. These are not words of kindness. Christians would do well to remove such words from their vocabularies.

Insincere compliments or flattery are avenues of trouble as well. Being patronizing is just another way to try to gain an advantage. If someone you barely know flatters you or calls you "friend," be careful.

Surprises can also be used to gain the upper hand in a discussion. Changing the subject or making a joke is often an effective way to disarm an opponent, even though they may have been correct. If you know one who can interject a joke at any point in a conversation, you know one who can often control the flow of a discussion.

Intelligence is a tool of the godly. Unfortunately, it is also a tool of the Devil. Quoting scripture is not in itself a sign of a person of God. The Christian who would find the truth is the one who, after having heard the scriptures, studies to find that they have been used in the proper context for the cause of God. The Christian who can do this while "thinking on his feet," as Paul obviously could, has a distinct advantage. The Christian who must study in depth and dig things out may be slower in arriving at the same conclusion, but God does not demand instantaneous perception of His word. Let's ensure we are not trying to superimpose a minimum intelligence quota as a criterion for God's acceptance of a person.

May we each be able to recognize sources of power and use them for God's purposes. Shelley wrote of its misuse, "Power, like a desolating pestilence, Pollutes whate'er it touches." We should be able to recognize when someone else, even a Christian, is exercising undue or unnecessary power techniques to influence us. Real power is God. No man can compare to Him. Let's all yield to God, be circumspect with Christians, and never yield to evil.