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Aug 29, 2024 18:00pm

What Now?: Authority

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The following comes from the devotional book “What Now?” by Ashley Akers. To learn more, go to www.whatnowdevo.com.

Authority

My mother said as a child, I never comprehended the meaning of “no”. When she told me “no”, I whined, pouted and let her know just how mean she was for not letting me have my way! And to tell you the truth, I had a knack for wearing her down and most of the time she would cave. My poor mother.

Over time, this unhealthy cycle taught me that I didn’t really need to respect authority. After all, if I could just keep pleading my case, I would eventually get my way.

As I grew up, the scripture in Ephesians 6:1, “Children, obey your parents because you belong to the Lord, for this is the right thing to do” didn’t exactly sink-in. Fast-forward into my adulthood and naturally my problems with authority were still there. In the workplace I never wanted to accept “no” for an answer either. I would relentlessly plead my case and negotiate to get what I wanted.

But eventually, something changed.

I began to look at things differently when I began to recognize the truth about one man, a man named Jesus, God’s son. He is the ultimate authority and I had to realize who I am in light of who He is! Bottom line: He is God and I am not. Matthew 28:18 NLT says,

Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth.”

This verse doesn’t say “some authority”; it says “all authority.” That verse put things in perspective. God is big—real big. I am not. In fact, I’m small. Why would I think I have the right to tell God, the CREATOR of the universe, what to do? Sounds nuts! Answer: because I presume I’m the one in control of my own life. Well, here’s what I’ve learned: I’m not in control of my life—He is. Regardless of whether or not I like what is happening around me, God is still the ultimate authority, not me.

Even though God has ultimate authority, He has given authority to our governments, our parents and our church leaders to govern us. Jesus Himself practiced submission to authority. For example, in John 19:11 NLT it says,

Then Jesus said, “You would have no power over me at all unless it were given to you from above.…”

In this scripture Jesus is talking to the Roman Governor, Pilate. Jesus, the Son of God, was delivered into the hands of the Roman government and was sentenced to death on the cross. In the verse above, He is expressing His accurate understanding of the order of authority and His willingness to submit to His Father’s will.

So, how do we know how to correctly respect authority? The answer is to read the Bible. If God is the ultimate authority, then we need to know what He said. By submitting to His word, we practice a right understanding of the order of authority in our lives as well. 2 Timothy 3:16 NLT says,

All scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.

Reflection Questions

1. Who are your authorities?

2. How well have you respected authority?

3. In your own words, describe how big God really is to you.