Stay Plugged In
There isn't an infinite power hack. You've gotta stay plugged in.
"Yes, but what is the surge protector plugged into, ma'am?"
Sometimes, life's deepest truths arrive wrapped in the most ordinary moments. Twenty years ago, I watched my colleague Tanveer pose this gentle question to a frustrated caller whose computer refused to power on. We discovered that the surge protector was plugged into itself, creating an endless loop that could never draw power from its designed source.
As Tanveer suppressed his laughter and patiently explained the need for a connection to the wall outlet, I couldn't help but see something profound unfolding. Here was a perfect picture of my human tendency to seek power from within myself, to create closed circuits of self-sufficiency that will ultimately leave me powerless.
It reminds me of Jesus's words about the vine and branches in John 15. "I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing" (John 15:5).
These aren't mere words of encouragement—they're a fundamental truth about our nature. Like that surge protector, we simply cannot generate our own power. We're a conduit, not the source.
But Christ doesn't just tell us this truth and leave us there; He offers Himself as our source of life and strength.
The caller's insistence that her setup should work sometimes mirrors our struggles. We create elaborate systems of self-reliance, convinced they should be enough. But like branches separated from the vine or surge protectors plugged into themselves, we must remain attached to produce fruit—by abiding in Christ (John 15:8-9).
That moment in tech support taught me something I've carried through decades: our role isn't to be self-sufficient but to stay connected to our Source and let His power flow through us to serve others.
Feeling drained? Sometimes the most productive thing we can do is simply check our connection. It's not about how fancy our surge protector is—it's about whether it's plugged into true power.
In that light, that silly call from a few decades ago serves as a reminder of my deepest need: to stay connected to the only Source that can truly power our lives, the One who promises that when we remain in Him, we will "bear much fruit" (John 15:8)—not through our own strength but through His perfect power working through us.
As always,
Stay humble. Hang tough.
Paul Tucker