Caesar would kill Jesus, but with God’s power, Jesus would rise again. Indeed, made the power of God the central tenet of our faith, and pointed to the resurrection as the definitive proof of God’s power. The early Christians who feared the power of Caesar, who bridled at any effort by Roman authorities to control them, talked enthusiastically about the power of God. Just as those who live next to an ocean both fear and admire its power.

The same people who are troubled by the government’s power often think it’s wonderful we have the strongest military in the history of the world. We fear power, but we also value it, and even celebrate it. Go to any restaurant, go on Facebook, listen to any radio or television talk show, and before long we’re bound to hear someone grumble about the government’s power. If we think power has overstepped its boundaries, we make a fuss. We feel about power the same way a friend of mine who lives next to the ocean feels about water─he appreciates it as long as it’s properly contained. It illustrates our mixed feelings about power. People who are opposed to a strong federal government, while being simultaneously proud we have the strongest army in the world. Not five minutes before he was worried the government was too big and powerful, and now he seemed pleased by it. We have the strongest military in the history of the world.” The man nodded approvingly, smiling, then said, “Our nation is blessed.

He wants to become a physician’s assistant.” He asked if Sam was going to make the Army his career, and I said, “Yes, I believe he is. I told him Sam was well, that he lived in Alaska, and was enjoying being a new father. He knows I have a son, Sam, in the Army, so he wanted to know how Sam was doing. He finished his meal before I did, and on his way out stopped at my table. I’ve known this man 50 years and in all that time he’s never even summoned the energy to keep his yard mowed, so I wasn’t too concerned about our nation’s welfare. It sounded as if he were moments away from organizing a militia to storm the ramparts. He was kvetching how the government was too big and too powerful and something needed to be done about it. Apparently, he had just come from paying his taxes. When I was there this week, I was eavesdropping on the table next to mine, and heard a man complain about the federal government. There is much to be learned by listening to the conversations around you.

I was eating lunch at Frank’s Place this week.

Home to harmony by philip gulley