Quick Scan of Global Power Shifts

Napoleon, Alexander the Great, Constantine, William the Conqueror, and Queen Elizabeth I? We could assemble a very long list of names of "greats" such as these, as well. 

All of these figures of history seemed to be unequaled in their time. Yet, their time was very brief in the context of all time. Scripture says that a lifetime is about as long as that of a blade of grass:

The grass withers, the flower fades: but the word of our God shall stand for ever (Isaiah 40:8).

For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass (I Peter 1:24).

Nations go through cycles of plenty and want, power and being humbled. In less than a lifetime, about 70 years ago, the United Kingdom, or Great Britain, was the leading world power and a vast empire. Now we say "England," and enjoy reruns of Queen Elizabeth I and II stories on TV. 

England has not been seen as a "great power" since WWII. That ended Great Britain's seat at the top, and the U. S. "rose up." After that war, science had breakthroughs, including something called the electronic transistor.

Yet, U. S. creative minds did not see everyday commercial uses for the transistor. Japan, brought low by defeat in WWII, got permission to try a few things with it. Japan soon attracted much attention with its invention of the first personal pocket transistor radio, an affordable item for millions or billions of people. Overnight, Japan became a new technology powerbase to watch.

Examples from Other Giants

In the 1960s, NASA basked in the light of passing the USSR in space, after the USSR's brief early lead in space. With Microsoft and Apple, the U. S. led the field of computers for the general public. The age of IBM's room-filling computing machines had suddenly expanded and exploded in influence.

China's cruel Mao, whose face loomed large on magazine covers for decades, finally died. His feared "Little Red Book" is today no more than a street vendor's souvenir item in Beijing. China quickly left Russia's strong influence under Mao, to grow vital commercial markets under its own communism

New York's Wall Street swift falling brings the U. S. to another time that will become a footnote in history. Yet right now, the gross errors and wrongs continue to reverberate around the world, with more decline predicted.

New Global Financial Center?

London is poised to take the place of New York as the global financial leader. The BBC has reported that New York is no longer the world's financial center, and who could argue. Our name also reverberates, as New York and Wall Street no long inspire confidence. Financial journalists report this latest global sea-change, learned overnight yet building for at least 18 months. It is already old news and there are no more exclamations of amazement. Many speak of "worse to come" as if it is accepted. 

Listening to the British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, one realizes that he, as former Chancellor of the Exchequer, probably knows more than any world leader about financial markets and national treasuries and economies. If London does take New York's place, the British leadership is better prepared, it seems, than any other nation's.

As with most historical shifts, these changes that realign power come about unexpectedly. Rome was not built in a day, but fell overnight. Hitler invaded Poland and Great Britain suddenly faced the feared tests that it could not deal with alone.

Individuals of Every Nation

Yet, in the end what nations and governing powers do goes only so far. What individuals do continues to matter, greatly. None of us should look only, or firstly, at "what government is doing."

Other significant resources matter, and we can all make it through a drastically changed economy. Trouble cannot kill our capacity for new ideas, friends, sharing, and effort. Significant inventions, literary works, and serving organizations have arisen through the individual minds and grouped efforts of the regular people during the worst of times!

If you ever think that your life is insignificant, just go to the library and begin reading biographies of people like Mother Teresa, Thomas Edison, Martin Luther King, Jr., Martin Luther who preceded him, and the thousands of others. None of them set out to do anything but what was right before them, under their noses, whether helping the most poor and rejected, following a fresh idea, or not running from a social or religious crisis. Many unknown heroes have done the same.

Most of those individuals put their trust not in riches but in God. Here is one of the thousands of reassurances from Him, in scripture, to keep with you:

"Fear not, for I am with you; be not confused, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; yes, I will help you; yes, I will hold you up with My righteous right arm" (Isaiah 41:10).

Lord, we will not fear, for You are with us.

We will not be confused, for You are our God.

Strengthen us;

Yes, help us;

Yes, hold us up with Your righteous right arm.

In Jesus' Name. Amen.