POWER

Dear Friends,

I’ve been reflecting on yesterday’s interaction between Zelensky, Trump, and Vance—it speaks volumes about the emerging world order.

The Trend: POWER

Who has it, and who doesn’t? And right now, the United States is intent on wielding it.

In any power dynamic, the one with less must acknowledge the one with more. That’s why Vance was demanding Zelensky thank Trump—even though Biden provided most of the aid, and no actual agreement has been made.

(Trump repeatedly claimed during his campaign that he could end the war in Ukraine within 24 hours. We are now 40 days in.)

Wielding Power

I’m not saying power itself is bad—parents wield it, as do managers, CEOs, and world leaders. But the question is: Where does this lead us?

A healthy society is built on more than just power—it’s built on helping others. Some conservatives ask:

• Why fund public education? If a 7-year-old can’t afford school, why should my tax dollars cover her?

• Why have a minimum wage or child labor laws?

The Answer

The answer is values. Jesus taught that helping others is serving God, that it’s more blessed to give than to receive:

“Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back.” — Jesus

That’s a clear direction and hard to follow. So how can a self-proclaimed “Christian nation” so easily forget this basic teaching? Or the guidance found in nearly every religious and spiritual tradition?

Some might say, “Jesus didn’t know what he was talking about.” Fine, but then stop calling yourself a Christian. And yet, most of our Western leaders do.

Karma & Consequence

Power might work if there were no consequences—if karma didn’t exist. But history tells us otherwise: No empire holds power forever.

Yes, the U.S. has power now, but it won’t always. I don’t know exactly how that shift will happen, but I know it will. How do I know? Because every other empire has arisen and has passed.

And when that time comes, the best insurance policy is having helped others when we had the chance.

This is the natural order of life. Parents have power over their children, but fast-forward a few decades, and the roles reverse. A father who was cruel or absent early in life shouldn’t expect his child to be there when he is weak and in need.

This doesn’t mean we need open borders or to allow people to abuse the system, but a general leaning toward helpfulness and cooperation. I don’t see another sustainable way forward.

The Bigger Picture

Take climate change—it’s a perfect example. We either work together, or we all lose.

Yes, power matters. But it cannot be the only thing that matters.

This new chapter may need to run its course, but in the end, I think a world with power as the central player will not turn out well. It must be balanced with care and decency.

And it is our job to live our values no matter what is modeled by our leaders.

Blessings,
SOREN

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