The biggest and most powerful always get the last word. This has certainly been true when it comes to children.

When I was a kid, the bigger you were the more clout you had. You had more persuasion. It might have taken a push or a shove, but the little guy finally buckled under. 

It might have just been the intimidation of their size, but the big guys had an edge. Sometimes they would stand tall and get really close so the little guy couldn’t help but notice just how big they were.

The big kids were often the ones the teachers would ask to help them. For one thing, they could reach higher – sometimes even higher than the teachers could reach. 

Their physical size gave the impression they could do things that others couldn’t do. And in many cases, it wasn’t just an impression, it was true.

How do I know all this?

Well, I was never one of the big and powerful guys growing up and so I watched all this take place. I even had the experience on occasion of having to buckle under someone bigger than me. 

It was never a great feeling. 

It was always better to be on the side of the big guys, to be on their team. Then you felt you had a protector, a defender, someone who made you feel bigger, walk taller and talk tougher than you really were.

What I experienced as a kid is the very same phenomenon taking place these days on the world stage with adult world leaders.

It has always been the case, but I don’t think it has ever been as obvious how the big and powerful throw their weight around. 

I think it started with Donald Trump and how he speaks so boldly and puts the pressure on those countries that are smaller than the USA. Trump even tells them they are going to have to buckle under and submit to his country’s power and size. 

And now we are seeing China exercising the same big guy bully tactics with Canada. 

The reason for China’s power assertion might be anger at the USA, but they are making it clear to Canada that “you mess with us and look out”.  

Their actions have basically declared: You better buckle under and free the Huawei cell phone executive who Canada is detaining. We’ll hold a few of your own people’s lives over your head just to show you who’s boss.

Inside everyone is the temptation, when you are big and powerful, to throw your weight around, to use your clout. … Before my son got to be bigger and stronger than me, I would use my size and power to make him say “uncle” every time we wrestled.

With all that is going on in the world right now, I wonder if we are ready for such a big power struggle to rise up and show itself on the world’s main stage. 

… It certainly is cause to think long and hard about the powers that are over us.

Here’s the thing: One day God is going to say, “enough is enough”. Then everyone will have to buckle under to His will because there is no one or nothing greater than He. The question we must all ask ourselves is, “Are we prepared for that day?”

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: When has someone big and powerful been on your side? How did you feel? Leave your comments below.