The corridors of power
Evil in the corridors of power is nothing new. Wherever people exercise power over others you will find corruption, violence, greed. This week Donald Trump’s campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, was convicted on a number of charges in a US court. Who knows what the enquiry into Russian meddling in the campaign will reveal!
Men and women were commissioned to rule the world and steward its resources for the glory of God (Genesis 1:26-30), but because of sin they rule out of self-interest, exploiting others for their own selfish reasons and their own glory. In Psalm 58 David denounces them. Do you speak justly? he asks. Do you judge with equity? No. “Even from birth the wicked go astray; from the womb they are wayward” he says in v. 3. But that verse should cause us to pause for a moment. Does it ring any bells? Only a few psalms earlier in 51:5 David says that he “has been sinful from the time my mother conceived me.” The greatest old testament king? Sinful from birth like the wrongdoers? What about us? Are we any better? It is very easy to point the finger at the wrongdoing of others, to tut at injustice and grieve violence when we see it on the news. But every time we condemn wrong in others we are looking in a mirror. And if we, unlike the people we see, have been granted forgiveness of sins and eternal life then we have only God to thank!