The Shadows of the Powerful

At TheGoodNewsCast.com, we trust in a power that originates with and among the people.

Around the globe, powerful people and institutions tend to keep their influence hidden rather than obvious. Constitutions, elections, courts, and parliaments present those in power as genuinely accountable to the people they govern. Yet again and again, events reveal a different reality: the powerful often operate through hidden networks and informal alliances while making decisions far from public view.

A powerful fist emerges from the shadows.

Recent developments in places such as the United States, Russia, and Sudan reveal how difficult it is to pinpoint who truly holds power. Battles over government transparency, investigations that challenge political groups, and reporting from active war zones all point to the same truth—those with the most influence frequently resist scrutiny.

The book of Proverbs, chapter 31, opens with a warning in the form of a poem about a wise woman, a mother who instructs her son, King Lemuel, on how to rule. Her words cut against common assumptions about authority. She cautions him about the dangers of cloudy judgements: “It is not for kings… to drink wine or strong drink.”

She reminds him that the burden lies not with the people but with those in authority. Power becomes most dangerous when it is taken for granted. In contrast, leaders function with a clear mind and a strong dedication to doing what is right.

Regardless of whether those in power are hidden within political systems or guided by a mother's advice, their objective remains unchanged: to act on behalf of the people.

• When the Powerful Are Exposed

• Who Holds the Power?

• Where Power Is Mighty

• When the Powerful See the Light

When the Powerful Are Exposed

In the United States, the fight over the Epstein documents has become more than a legal dispute—it sheds light on how powerful individuals behave when exposed to scrutiny. Years after Jeffrey Epstein’s death, the federal government continues to withhold large portions of investigative files, citing privacy laws. Yet those redactions have only intensified suspicion (“What’s Redacted in the New Epstein Files”). Many suspect the withheld names involve wealthy and powerful individuals the federal government wants to protect.

A business meeting is in progress.

The controversy stands out because it has drawn concern from every corner of politics. Lawmakers argue that withholding information corrodes public trust and reinforces a familiar fear: that powerful individuals operate by different rules. Some members of Congress have even warned that if federal agencies refuse full transparency, the legislature itself may intervene to force disclosure. The debate lays bare a major struggle in democratic systems—how to balance privacy laws with the public’s right to know, especially when accusations of misconduct involve powerful people.

This struggle is not new. In Proverbs 31, a mother cautions her son, a king, against indulging in clouded judgment, which can lead to injustice. She reminds him that a ruler who doesn't think clearly obstructs the fair application of the law.

Strong drink, she says, is for the afflicted, the weary, those crushed by life’s burdens—not for kings. She recognizes the needs of her people, and that responsibility rests directly on the shoulders of those in positions of power. The ruler's responsibility is to ensure they are accountable for the living conditions of the people, rather than increasing their burdens.

Taken together, the Epstein controversy and the mother’s counsel show that authority becomes most dangerous when it forgets why it exists. Transparency goes beyond exposing misconduct—it's meant to protect the legitimacy of democratic governance.

Across centuries, powerful individuals hold their ground only when they accept responsibility, keep their vision clear, and act on behalf of the people.

Who Holds the Power?

In Russia, constitutions and titles do not determine who truly holds power. A recent book by independent investigative journalists pulls back the curtain on President Vladimir Putin’s inner circle, revealing a system driven by loyalty (Belton). The book contends that while government and public offices may formally exist, true power is channeled through informal networks, such as trusted friends, long-term associates, and financial connections.

Reporters are asking questions.

The book explains why accountability is so elusive, and anyone who tries to work “by the rules” often discovers that the rules are not meant for the powerful. Censorship, legal threats, and pressure on independent media make the act of investigation an act of resistance. By exposing these hidden networks, journalists challenge the illusion that authority is fair, orderly, or equally accessible.

This same reality appears in the Gospels. Religious leaders question why Jesus eats with sinners, assuming he is among the powerful. Jesus responds with a striking image:

“It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” Mark 2

Jesus places power where it actually resides. Righteousness, therefore, does not stand apart from the sinner. Sinners cannot heal themselves any more than the sick can cure their disease. Repentance, apart from Christ, becomes an unbearable burden—an expectation without the One who can fulfill it. Christ supplies the very power needed to overcome sin. Without him, repentance is an impossible demand placed on those already burdened.

Together, these stories expose the same truth. Power is often misunderstood because it is where we least expect it. In Russia, it rests with the loyal more than with governmental systems. In the Gospel, God's power is present among sinners.

Where Power Is Mighty

Sudan’s civil war exposes its power in its rawest form. Although a national government and military still exist on paper, reporting from the ground shows that real authority in many regions belongs to armed groups, especially the Rapid Support Forces. Control is exercised not through law, but through force (“Sudan Conflict Explained”). Militias determine who gets through checkpoints, who receives help, and which communities survive. In this country, shifting alliances disrupt ceasefires, causing civilians to bear the consequences.

Armed soldiers are in tactical gear.

Here, the powerful are not hidden but visible, armed, and merciless. The collapse of accountability has stripped authority of restraint. When power is detached from responsibility, it no longer governs—it dominates.

Against this backdrop, the teachings of Jesus offer a radically different vision of authority. Repentance, in his ministry, is not a burden placed on the weak. John the Baptist called people to repentance, and Jesus did not exempt himself. Instead, he submitted to John's call alongside them. When John hesitated, Jesus insisted.

“It must be this way.” Matthew 3

Repentance is not a burden but a way of life embraced by the righteous.

This pattern repeats throughout scripture. In the Book of Mormon, King Benjamin teaches that those in positions of power are obligated to care for those in need. When religious systems place the weight of repentance entirely on the weak—while imagining Christ among the powerful—they remove the very strength repentance requires.

The contrast is sharp. In Sudan, the powerful claim the right to rule through force while leaving the people helpless. In the gospel, the power of God begins with the people sharing a common interest. Christ's message is similar to popular sovereignty: authority starts with the people, and God's salvation is present among them.

When the Powerful See the Light

From redacted files in Washington to investigative books in Moscow and independent journalism in Sudan, the powerful seem to prefer the shadows. Whether shielded by legal complexity, loyalty, or armed force, the most influential often operate beyond public view.

These stories reveal that journalism and political pressure do more than expose; they test the legitimacy of authority itself. Transparency does not automatically produce justice, but its absence creates the conditions for abuse to flourish.

Proverbs 31 cautions against cloudy judgments, and the Gospels place Christ with sinners who embrace repentance as the way to live righteously, while the Book of Mormon emphasizes that holding authority comes with a responsibility to serve the people. When leaders grasp these teachings, they cease requiring repentance from others and start revealing God's power and presence among them.

Works Cited

Belton, Catherine. Putin’s People: How the KGB Took Back Russia and Then Took On the West. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2020.

“What’s Redacted in the New Epstein Files and What Isn’t.” Time, 2024, www.time.com/7342581/jeffrey-epstein-doj-justice-department-files-documents-redactions/.

“Sudan Conflict Explained: What’s Happening and Why.” BBC News, 2023, www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-65284948.