The Way of the Kings vs the Way of the Lamb: Do Others Flourish Under Your Influence?

All of us carry influence somewhere in our lives. It may be in our homes with family, in the workplace with colleagues and direct reports, in a classroom among students and peers, or even in larger organizational contexts. Wherever it shows up, the question Revelation presses upon us is this:

Do the people around us encounter our authority as something that serves their good—or mainly our own?

John’s vision in Revelation confronts the rulers of his day—kings who sat comfortably on thrones within the empire. With a single word they could sentence someone to prison or to death, command armies, or make secret deals that preserved their comfort. Meanwhile, ordinary people suffered, often struggling just to eat. Those in power had all the luxury, but little concern for those under their rule.

That contrast forces us to ask hard questions about our own lives. We may not live in palaces, but we still exercise power in ways that matter deeply to others. Do my children experience my authority as a gift for their flourishing? Do my students, coworkers, or neighbors encounter my influence as something that lifts them up?

There are two postures of power: one that props up the self, and one that gives of the self. Revelation names these postures clearly—the way of Babylon’s kings, and the way of the Lamb. One leads to comfort at the expense of others. The other leads to life, even through sacrifice.

The invitation is to examine our relationships and ask: Is my influence marked by self-propping—or by self-giving?