Some phrases stay in our vocabulary because they are repeatedly demonstrated as true.
Lord Acton wrote in 1887, “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” This saying retains its authenticity to this day - being validated by succeeding generations of people whose authority exceeds their wisdom.
But Jesus is different, very different. The Apostle Paul describes Him as 'The kindness and love of God'. Yes, He is still the Incarnate God, the Creator and Judge, the King of kings and Lord of lords ... He is all holy but He is also very kind.
We may not be world leaders, but before we welcomed Jesus into the mini-empires of our lives, "... we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another." (Titus 3:3)
Then Paul wrote: "But when the kindness and love of God our Saviour appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Saviour so that, having been justified by His grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life." (Titus 3:4-5)
When Jesus appeared on the world stage, He was kind to people who did not deserve kindness. To those who received Him - instead of wrath, He demonstrated generous mercy. Membership of His kingdom was not based on our merit but His sacrifice. Our uncleanness was washed away by His blood. Our life was made new by His Holy Spirit. By His grace we have the confident hope of living with Him for ever.
This is the Jesus whose mission BeaconLight has embraced. He is the person the BeaconLight team, and our partners, trust. He is the person who has the ability to do far more than we can ever imagine. Because He first loved us, we love Him.
Every power figure in history has died, but Jesus died and rose again to live for ever. Eventually, every human dynasty falls, but Jesus' kingdom is eternal. Every human ruler has their faults, but Jesus has none. All authorities claim more than they can deliver, but Jesus' Word is always fulfilled. Worldly systems are motivated by wanting more, but Jesus is motivated by love that gives everything.
Jesus, and then the Early Church, lived and died under the hostility of the power-mongers ... but they knew that they would live for ever. They learned that Jesus held the future safe, because He has the power to love the unlovely, be merciful to sinners, and to pour His grace into weakness.
BeaconLight's mission is to equip Jesus' front-line workers in prisons and workplaces, the military and churches, in the UK and worldwide, whether they be young or old ... with Bible truth to share ... within the kindness and love of God.
It is not easy, it never has been. That is why we must trust the Lord Jesus Christ who is the only person who has all power and can never be corrupted. Please pray for our partners worldwide, that they will know the kindness and love of God sustaining them as they walk and work with Jesus - even though their faith is severely tested.