Key Verses:
For the Lord’s sake, accept all authority—the king as head of state, and the officials he has appointed. For the king has sent them to punish all who do wrong and to honor those who do right…..Show respect for everyone. Love your Christian brothers and sisters. Fear God. Show respect for the king.
(I Peter 2:13-17)
Central truth:
We are to respect authority, no matter what.
To this day I can hear my dad telling me that I did not have to like a person but I had to respect their position and know my place in dealings with people in authoritative roles. He would go on to say that I did not have to agree with what they said all of the time, but I had to, again, remember my place. My dad was always giving me pearls in dealing with other people. My dad is an awesome guy by my book and has given me so much sage advise over the years that I find myself relaying it to my kids as well. Little did I know at the time that this point had a biblical basis.
You see, God placed an entire network of people in this world into positions of authority. Not just government leaders but also leaders in our workplaces and in our families. Coming under authority and showing respect is by no means easy. None of us want to be told what to do or how to do it. I personally struggle with this, not because I am bull-headed and obstinate but because I see a lot of people in roles of authority that are acting ungodly. I find it very difficult to respect someone, regardless of their title or position, who belittles other people on a routine basis, who lacks humility, who is prideful and boastful, who acts for selfish gain or promotion, or who is just plain hypocritical.
But, I came across a Christian writer, Karen Wolff, who got me thinking on this issue. She said that the bottom line is that God expects us to respect Him and His choices. He expects that we will respect the people He has placed in authority over us. She too, like Dad, says that this doesn’t mean that we have to agree with every one of their decisions, but it does mean that we still need to show respect for the position, and by extension, the person who is in the position.
There are several verses in the Bible that support this, but I think it is best stated in Romans 13:1-3 which states: “Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God. So anyone who rebels against authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and they will be punished. For the authority do not strike fear in people who are doing right, but in those who are doing wrong.”
All of this being said, it is me who needs to change in the way that I view some people in authority. Instead of making critical observations, I need to pray for those in authority over me. I need to ask God to guide them in their decisions and pray that they seek God as they make these decisions. I need to pray that I can, by example, show what submitting to authority is supposed to look like.
Prayer: Dear God, Please help me to view those in authority through your eyes, even those who appear to be acting ungodly. Help me to remember that they have been placed in this role by you and that I should respect them no matter what. Thank you. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment