If I say "We should respect authority", where do the lines get blurred? Where is your line in the sand? What is your tipping point?
The word "authority" (Merriam Webster) is defined as "the power to influence or command thought, opinion, or behavior."
When I look at the word "authority" through the eyes of Scripture, I find the greek word "exousia " (pronounced ex-oo-see'-ah) and it means moral authority, power, and weight, and denotes power conferred to a person by another, or delegated authority (such as the influence God gives to His people to act through faith)".
At face value, those two things may look pretty similar but they have a distinct difference. There is a big difference between a "dictator-type" approach (where if you ask the wrong questions or even question the authority in place at all, you will be physically removed from the conference room or forcefully taken to the gallows) and someone who stands in authority on some platform with the full understanding that they are only there because the authority or power was entrusted to them by another who has a greater level of authority.
What does a kid out of the inner city know about authority anyway? Does he see authority as someone set in place to keep him at a certain level and within a certain framework of experience, growth, and education? Or does he see authority as merely a guideline on the path to greater things? This inner city kid felt like the former was the more accurate and relevant of the two. I am sure some kids that grow up in the inner city now still see things the same way. Or maybe their experience has differed.
The last time I was back home in NYC visiting family, my sister and I were riding in from the airport. Bear in mind that this inner city kid, who admittedly grew up a lot since those childhood years, was sitting in the passenger seat as we drove through my hometown of Brooklyn. We had the windows down because it was pretty warm that day. We got to an intersection and there was a bodega on my right where several members of the NYPD were standing and talking. When we stopped at the intersection, they turned to look at us (for several valid reasons I would imagine) and I stuck my hand out of the window and waved at them as we drove off. I'm decked out in New York Football Giants gear and my hat turned to the back as I wear it at times. My sister was irate.
"Don't you ever wave at cops while you're in my car!" was one sentiment she shared for the next five minutes or so of the ride through the borough.
Some of what she said was valid, although I believe most of it came from a place I no longer lived and from a viewpoint that I no longer held. Maybe her drivers license and registration was not current. I don't know. I just know she was visibly upset and shaken. Basically, many of my family and friends from that location and friends that live in similar environments don't want the attention of the authority because it usually ends badly for them historically. From your community's HOA to your local police department to your apartment's landlord to upper management at your job, the attention is widely unwanted. My waving to those police officers was essentially like sending up flares. My little sister's message was received. But was it right?
You can't turn on the local or national news now without hearing a statement coming from the current administration which either inflames or incites people on social media and at the water coolers alike. It is very easy to look at the authority in our government with contempt and disrespect. Is this approach the proper one in God's sight?
If the manager gives an instruction for the work area but the team lead, seeing the day to day operations and having their finger on the pulse of the staff, decides to alter the instructions to fit what is currently taking place, is this approach pleasing to God or is He displeased?
These are not easy questions to ask so clearly they are not easy to answer either. Despite my upbringing and the memories that I bear to this day that make it challenging for me to look at authority as I should, it's still my goal to achieve the appropriate amount of respect for the office, more so than the person in the office. One bad board member doesn't automatically equate to one bad corporation. I struggle but make daily efforts to understand how God wants us to view the point of authority in our every day lives.
One pet peeve is how it is dealt with in our local churches. I am amazed, appalled, and very dismayed at how frequently a leader's spouse or children, a deacon, another elder, or even the church's secretary will change the instruction of the spiritual leader simply because they think they know better than the leader him or herself. That bothers me so much because I know what the end result looks like. That bothers me how casual and subtle it is and how easy we are to circumvent what has been set in place and do what we think is best, regardless of what has been instructed. We do it in the local ministries. We do it in the workplaces. We allow it to take place in our households and in family circles. We do it everywhere to the point where it has become commonplace. It is dysfunction, chaos and a frayed cord rather than a unified one. The old proverb about having too many chiefs and not enough Indians comes to mind.
We don't have to like the person or persons in authority over us but we may find it beneficial down the road to respect the position or office in which they stand unless following their instructions will cause you to sin against the Lord Himself. That's our exemption at home, at school, at work, and living as citizens of the United States of America. Besides this, His word is pretty clear.
A great literary work that I lean on in times like these is "Spiritual Authority" by Watchman Nee. I can't even tell you how many times I've read this but it has been several and I learn something new every time. His approach is that God is the ultimate authority and that the others are delegated or subject to Him. Here are a couple of his most poignant points worthy of consideration:
“Whenever man touches God's delegated authority he touches God within that person; sinning against delegated authority is sinning against God.”
“If God dares to entrust His authority to men, then we can dare to obey. Whether the one in authority is right or wrong does not concern us, since he has to be responsible directly to God. The obedient needs only to obey; the Lord will not hold us responsible for any mistaken obedience, rather will He hold the delegated authority responsible for his erroneous act. Insubordination, however, is rebellion, and for this the one under authority must answer to God.”
Let today be a day worthy of consideration as you read through these passages. Perhaps you can remember a prominent and notable figure in history by the name of Joseph. Do you remember his being sold into slavery by his brothers and although he was given nearly every benefit Potiphar had to offer, he refused to take liberties with his master's wife? How about David, called to be a king but yet to achieve the throne and refused to disrespect the current administration despite the attempts on his life? That list goes on and on and we have plenty examples. Now we simply need to follow them.
(Scripture references: Romans 13:1-5; Titus 3:1; Hebrews 13:17; Ephesians 6:1-4; 1 Peter 2:13-15; James 2:10; Acts 5:29)
No comments:
Post a Comment