Around the year 1028 King Canute was King of England. He had many people trying to flatter him and gain his favor. These people claimed that the king was not only the king of the people but also king of the elements.

Canute wished to teach them a lesson. He ordered his chair of state to be placed at the edge of the water and there he took his seat. When the tide came up he ordered the tide to recede; it did not and continued to rise up around the chair.

When the water was below his knees the king turned towards his flatters and said, “Confess how vain and empty is the power of an earthly king, compared with His, who alone can say to the waves, ‘thus far shall ye go and no father.'”

He then took the crown off his head and went to the Cathedral of Winchester. He then laid the crown on the crucifix there and he never wore it again.

The story teaches many lessons. But the lesson we want to focus on is that unlike King Canute who understood where all power comes from. There are those who believe that power comes from themselves and they can actually command the elements.

It is those people who are vain and believe in only themselves. They only care for power and when they die they are left with nothing except for the Judgment of God.