WHEN POWER CORRUPTS-GOD SEES

READ PSALM 82

Psalm 82:1-4(ESV)

1 God has taken his place in the divine council; in the midst of the gods he holds judgment: ² “How long will you judge unjustly and show partiality to the wicked? Selah ³ Give justice to the weak and the fatherless; maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute.⁴ Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.”

Corruption in leadership has been an issue since sin entered the world. When one person, or a group of people, is elevated over another it can easily lead to problems. Pride increases, power corrupts, and sin creeps in as the powerful crave more power at the expense of the weak.

The "gods" referred to in our Psalm today are leaders who view themselves as an ultimate authority. They have elevated themselves above God and they want others to view them as divine. In ancient times many pagan cultures viewed their leaders as diety. Their leaders were lords and their emperors were saviors.

The power that went along with this belief led to many horrible acts, abuse, and often neglect for these least of these...like orphans and widows. Which is why Jesus always made it a point to care for them.

Speaking of Jesus, the leaders in the time of Jesus often abused their power. In John 10:29-36, Jesus has a confrontation with religious leaders who are accusing him of blasphemy. After Jesus said, "I and the Father are one," The leaders rebuked him and said he was making himself out to be God!

Jesus responds with Psalm 82:6

Psalm 82:6(ESV)

⁶ I said, “You are gods, sons of the Most High, all of you."

This is fascinating because when you go back to the first verse of the Psalm you see that God "takes his place in the divine council; in the midst of the gods he holds judgement."

The religious leaders had long since stopped caring about the orphans and widows. They only worried about preserving the power they had and getting more of it...now Jesus was in their midst and judgement was coming.

In our world today power still corrupts. The pursuit of power often leads the pursuer to believe more highly in themselves than they aught, and less of those who they view as beneath them.

When power corrupts - God sees.

If you ever find yourself in a position of leadership and authority it is wise to remember that God is Mighty and will hold you accountable for your actions. Don't ever think you are invincible or untouchable. God is the Ultimate Judge, and the time will come when every knee will bow before the Almighty.

Live your life with that humbling thought in mind.

Josh Huisman is the senior pastor of Crosswalk Church in Brentwood, TN. If you would like to support this website and make it possible for this page to stay active and these devotions to reach a wider audience, CLICK HERE

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