I think I’ve figured out what every person really wants. If we were really honest, we would have to admit that deep down we want things to be the way we want them to be. We want what we want when we want it and we want the power to get it. We don’t want anyone to be able to say no to us.
To have this we would have to be all powerful, which is another word for omnipotent. In other words, what we really want is to be God.
The problem with all that power is it corrupts a soul that is not pure, holy and humble. I see this all the time in the courthouse. Attorneys become judges and suddenly everybody is their friend, and laughs at their stupid jokes and goes all obsequious around them. Before long an arrogance sets in, followed by a harshness and unkindness. Lord Acton was right, “Power corrupts.” If we don’t know this, we should. The examples are all around us.
So herein lies the irony: We want God’s power but not His character; but without His character His power would make us tyrants.
Perhaps that is why the Lord places such an emphasis on sanctification. Perhaps that is why Jesus said we are to seek first His kingdom and His righteousness. (Matthew 6:33). If He was to share Kingdom authority with us when we don’t have a sufficient level of Christlikeness, that authority runs the risk of corrupting us.
Maybe what we should want is to be more like Jesus. GS