Torah for Christians: A Higher Power
TORAH FOR CHRISTIANS
SEASON 4 EPISODE FOUR
First broadcast on July 11, 2022
A HIGHER POWER
I YHVH am your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, the house of bondage.
(Exodus 20.2)
I’m not an alcoholic but I believe in a Higher Power. What does that mean? Let’s find out. I’m Rabbi Jordan Parr and this is Torah for Christians.
MUSIC
Welcome to Torah for Christians. I’m Rabbi Jordan Parr.
Whenever I hear the term, a “Higher Power”, I immediately think of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). This marvelous organization has for decades promulgated a 12-step program for recovery. Step two of their plan reads as follows:
“Come to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.”[1]
An awareness of and a belief in a Higher Power, as it has come to be called, is critical in the recovery of alcoholics as they come to realize that there is something greater than alcohol in their lives.
Becoming a leader-servant is like an alcoholic beginning his or her recovery. And like the alcoholic trying to maintain sobriety, the leader-servant’s development is a life-long process. The first step in the development of the leader-servant is to acknowledge a Higher Power in his or her life. We can substitute the term God, Lord, Allah, Krishna, Buddha, Reason, or whatever term you want; the meaning is essentially the same.
Leader-servants believe in something bigger than themselves. Leaders do not have to be religious people to succeed; some of the most famous leaders in history never set foot in a church, synagogue, or mosque. But with few exceptions, the most revered leaders in history were also spiritual people who did believe in a Higher Power. Their lives can serve as examples of what a true Leader-Servant should embody. Central to their greatness was an absolute belief in God, often coupled with the commandment to repair the world.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is one shining example. He moved a nation from legalized segregation towards an integrated society. His words continue to inspire us today and provide a path towards racial equality in the United States and beyond. We are not there yet, to be sure, but without Dr. King, we would certainly be even farther behind in the journey towards full racial equality.
However, Dr. King was also a minister. His speeches are really sermons; they echo and reference the social gospel, a theology of action based upon both the Hebrew Prophets and the life of Jesus. To Dr. King, action was based upon faith; if one did not have faith, then good deeds had no spiritual grounding. “My call to the ministry,” Dr. King once wrote, “was an inner urge calling me to serve humanity.”[2] The very essence of his being was wrapped up in being a leader-servant. And as we learn from Jewish tradition, “It is not the principle, the theory, but the doing” that is our guiding principle.
Doing God’s work can be a humbling experience. Often, it is a thankless job and comes without reward. A true leader-servant cannot work for riches and self-aggrandizement (although both might sometimes happen); he or she must derive satisfaction in other ways.
Few clergy are wealthy; it’s not our goal in life. The super-wealthy clergy, such as many televangelists, are often held in suspicion or even contempt; from where do they get their money? Is it at the expense of the church or synagogue? Do they really need private jets and island hideaways? The truly effective clergy do not worry about money; they worry about elevating and saving souls. This makes them ideal candidates to become leader-servants; they are constantly striving towards a Higher Power, a cause greater than themselves.
Moses certainly did not lead the Israelites through the desert for the glory. If anything, he was constantly frustrated by the Israelites’ disunity and contempt for God and for himself. Moses continually implored God to relieve him of this responsibility but to no avail. The glory that eventually came to him was a result of later generations singing his praises. Moses led the Israelites in spite of their best efforts to stop him and to return to their earthly and earthen desires, to return to slavery in exchange for a regularly scheduled mealtimes.
Belief in a Higher Power grounds us in our daily lives. In the work world, a Higher Power enables us to lead. We can commune with our Higher Power to seek direction in our careers to guide those who work with us to achieve their greatest potential. Working with truly spiritual people is of itself a spiritual experience.
Belief in a Higher Power strengthens our homes as well. When a family shares a common belief in a Higher Power, the family becomes resilient and unshakeable; no matter what befalls the family, it will thrive. The strength of the spirit and the cohesive bonds that unite its members is the foundation upon which the family succeeds.
There is a unique moment in sports that testifies to the importance of a Higher Power. In the National Hockey League, the Stanley Cup playoffs are a joy to behold[3]; it is hockey at its finest. When a series concludes, however, there is a special ritual. Both teams line up on opposite sides of the ice and form two long lines. The teams then skate past each other, so that every member of one team shakes the hand of every member of the other team. Not only is this impeccable sportsmanship, but it is also a realization that there is something greater than a trophy at stake –a Higher Power has is present.
When we create wealth, it is not just for ourselves. Often the creation of wealth leads to streams of income for our spouses and children, providing them a safety net should something happen to us. But the top wealth creators have shown us that the fastest way to earn money is to give it away. Some people call this tithing, others use the terms charity, tzedakah (righteous behavior in Hebrew) or zakat (the tax for the poor in Arabic). Call it what you will, the importance of acknowledging a Higher Power in wealth creation, and the responsibility to distribute our money lovingly, is characteristic of the true leader-servants among us.
The power of prayer in healing is also of utmost importance. While the scientific studies are certainly controversial, when a person knows that others are praying for his or her recovery, that patient often recovers at a faster rate than those for whom no prayers are offered. Communion with a Higher Power is an important part of healing – and one which the medical community is beginning to embrace.
Finally, it goes without saying that a Higher Power is essential for spiritual growth. The names and techniques may vary but all religious traditions emphasize that there is something greater than ourselves; we grow spiritually when we encounter that Higher Power.
Moses is a great example of how a person can commune with a Higher Power. Obviously, we will never be Moses – but his example sets the standard for the leader-servant, even today.
Moses received and transmitted God’s greatest words, the 10 Commandments. God spoke these words to Moses and, through him, to the Israelites at the base of the mountain. These commandments set the legal and ethical standard for the Israelites and, through our travels throughout the world, have formed the basis for legal and moral codes everywhere.
Primary among the 10 Commandments are the first words, “I am Adonai, your God”. This is not technically a commandment; it is an opening statement[4]. Yet, it has the moral force of invoking God at the start. As such, it is a command to adhere to God’s word, the rationale for the existence of the Jewish people. Without it, nothing that follows is of any importance.
Moses’ belief in God, his Higher Power, propelled him to lead the greatest religious revolution in history. Without him, there would be no Rabbinic Judaism, no Christianity, no Islam. Moses was the original Prophet, Lawgiver and Teacher; he is the model of the leader-servant because he was the first to realize that belief in a Higher Power enables one to change the world and to leave it a far better place upon your departure.
Moses was unique and can never be duplicated. When we, in our own ways, acknowledge a Higher Power, it is, in effect, a commentary on Moses. Yet, our lives can be rich and inspirational if we follow the example of the leader-servant Moses, who recognized and followed a Higher Power, which enriched his life, the life of his people – and indeed all those who followed until the present day.
We can summarize this discussion with the following three principles. Take them to heart and recognize that, along with being the greatest lawgiver in Judaism, Moses was our greatest leader-servant.
- The true leader-servant realizes that there is a Power greater than him/herself.
- The true leader-servant allows that Higher Power to propel him/her towards greatness.
- When we emulate great leaders, we tap into their conceptions of a Higher Power.
When we realize that there is something greater in this world than ourselves, great things will come from us, and great things will come to us. At Sinai, God demonstrated ultimate power – but Moses demonstrated ultimate leadership by acknowledging that power. He could have turned away and kept walking, but he didn’t; Moses stopped and brought us God’s 10 laws, fundamental to our existence on this planet.
That, my friends, is true leadership.
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I want to thank you for listening to Torah for Christians. If you enjoyed this podcast, tell your friends, and spread the word. You are the reason for our success. And whether you identify as a Christian, a Jew, a Muslim or even as a skeptic, we are all in this together. So please remember: Hinei Mah Tov… L’hitra’ot, till we meet again. I’m Rabbi Jordan Parr and this is Torah for Christians.
[1] http://www.coda.org/aa12.html.
[2] Phillips, Donald T.: Martin Luther King, Jr. on Leadership (Donald T. Phillips, 1999, p. 283).
[3] Especially when the Detroit Red Wings win! Sadly, this doesn’t happen very often.
[4] Christians do not consider this verse a commandment. Rather, Christians begin their counting with the next words, “You shall have no other gods before Me”.
