It is worth noting, after yet another nasty political season, that as Christians we honor a king who is unlike any human political leader.

This Sunday is, after all, set aside the celebrate "Christ the King," who as the second reading tells us is "the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For in him were created all things in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things were created through him and for him."

Christ is the Lord of all things, yet he came as a servant and not as a master. All power was given to him, yet he did not covet power or force his will on anyone. All the kingdoms of the world belonged to him, and yet he allowed himself to be brutally tortured, ridiculed and killed for our sakes. He met suffering with compassion, he met bigotry with inclusion, and he met hatred with mercy.

We are blessed to live under a political system where we can choose our leaders. We no longer call them kings, but in this country we call them mayors, governors and presidents. Their roles are meant to be as public servants, but increasingly we are forced to endure campaigns characterized by bitter attacks, pandering to special interests and political operatives, and paid consultants advising on what position leaders should take in order to win office.

Power corrupts, it has been said, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. While this cliché may be true for most humans, it was actually proven false by the only person we know of who actually held absolute power: Jesus Christ. Jesus held absolute power and ended up not on a throne but on a cross. Jesus held absolute power and used it to demonstrate absolute love. Jesus used absolute power not to control others but to liberate others.

We are called to be like Jesus in our treatment of power. We are called to not covet power, and to use what power we are granted to serve others. I don't know about you, but I can't really relate to the idea of ever having absolute power. I would like to think that if I had ever been mayor, or governor, or president of anything I would try to help others.

But my experience tells me that when I do get a small amount of power or authority --- at work, or in my family, or even at church --- I cling to it with all my might. I long to be promoted to a position of greater power at work, not because I want to help others, but because I want to feel more successful and more important.

We don't have many kings in our world any longer, but we have plenty of examples of rulers who have abused their power to enrich themselves at the expense of the subjects and citizens they were elected to serve. Jesus is different. Jesus was given all the power in the universe and he surrendered to God's will.

You and I must take the power we are given and do the same --- to surrender to the will of God and put others before ourselves.

Bill Peatman writes from Napa.