B A M! POWER
By Patti Iverson

There is power about humor, but is there humor about power? Not a whole lot! Mostly I discovered misuse, abuse, overuse, and underuse. (Yes, I have the “power” to make that word up. ?) One thing for sure: there is a lot of power zipping around in this world of ours, and it is changing and going in many different directions, including this youthful observation: “Power corrupts, and absolute power is kinda neat.” Arrrrgh! I don’t think he has a clue what he is saying.
Power takes on many forms:
Battery= clock radio, smoke alarms, motors, electricity, time, communication, TV, toys, terrorist’s bombs. No power = Death. “I gave my nephew a book for his birthday. He went crazy trying to figure out where to put the batteries!
Brain= billions of neurons and cells are powering your thoughts, actions, relationships, learning, and some say love ‘n lust even begins in the brain. Just ask a wife! But the song, “You Were Always On My Mind” doesn’t cut it one bit for romance…
Science= Students learn how power can be generated in many ways with economic, environmental, with physical advantages and disadvantages. You know you’re a Scientist if your three year old asks why the sky is blue and you try to explain atmospheric absorption theory. I’d say it’s blue because the sun is shining and not raining. I am NOT a Scientist.
Nature= Do the words earthquakes, floods, wildfires, global warming, and avalanches say anything to you about Mother Nature and her power? Scientists now know that animals understand more about natural powers of the earth than humans do. Scientists have developed a firefly that is 10,000 times brighter than a wild firefly. The only problem is that the firefly is a little disgruntled at being strapped to a five-pound battery.
Tongue= The Bible has a LOT to say about the power of the tongue. Prov. 21:23 “Whoever guards his tongue keeps his soul from troubles.” Wow! That’s power. But on the other hand, “The tongue is a fire, the very world of iniquity which defiles the entire body…”James 3:6. Whoo hooo! Ya better watch that power, buddy!
Just because one has the power to do something doesn’t mean it’s prudent to use that power. Like, if necessity is the mother of invention, why are there so many unnecessary inventions, huh huh? In Numbers 22 Balaam grossly misused his power beating his hard working donkey unnecessarily several times until finally the Lord opened the donkey’s mouth so he could tell his master to knock it off—well, that’s my paraphrase. But ya know, if God could speak through Balaam’s ass he surely can speak through you…—oh, but I digress!
Sometimes we feel powerless, like that hee-haw animal, but God told us, “My grace is sufficient for you, for Power is perfected in weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:9. When I am weak, then I am strong, not in my power, but in HIS.
If we are the ones with power it is good. We can accomplish much, serve others, use our power for the Lord and be kind, useful, and well, powerful. But turn it around, and if someone else holds the power, it could be considered force, oppressive, and the means to war, be it among families or nations. Power can make a man—or make a monster.
But the power to do right, to be right ‘n righteous, is a joy to behold! Just this week I heard about a 14 year old young man named Colby Pearson in Central Point. My dear friend, Myrna Wagler, lost almost $500.00 in cash. Well guess what? Colby found it, turned it in, and proved that there are great folks around who have good morals and the power to say, “I am going to do the right thing, not the wrong thing.” He so easily could have kept that money. The policeman who returned it to Myrna was very surprised also. Noah Webster said, “Power is always right, weakness always wrong.” Okey dokey! But then Noah went on, “Power is always insolent and despotic.” Yikes! What was that man ruining his first statement for? Oh well. Folks have always turned around good and bad and mixed them up. I applaud Colby for using the Power of Right.
“Prayer is our deepest source of power and perfection. We desire to discern the truth.” (Plato) Yes, God, we need Your help of the Holy Spirit in us to use Your power for good in this old world. We know we’ve got the Power—we need You to help our unbelief, like that rich ruler. Henry Ford told us, “Believe you can, believe you can’t—either way you are correct.”
I want to believe I can. We can all choose to believe WE can. We need the power to kick up our lives a notch, like Emeril the Chef tossing in the perfect spice and yellin’,”BAM!” —The spice of Perfect Power being PERFECT GOD!

Patti Iverson writes from Medford, Oregon. randpi2@charter.net