This past Sunday I heard a message from Genesis 22 where Abraham is willing and prepared to sacrifice his son Isaac. The application points showed that Abraham’s obedience to God was immediate and un-questioning. Abraham fully trusted God. God had made a promise that Isaac was the heir of promise and Abraham knew God would provide.
It reminded me of a discussion I had with my son recently. We were discussing his teen-age tendency to respond to directives he does not like with the flippant response of “Whatever.”
I used as examples how he responds to his mother and me; how he responds to his coaches; how he will eventually responds to bosses, etc. I told him that I would not choose him as a team captain if I were his coach because I see his body language and “whatever” responses. I used as an example the fact that over the years I have had many circumstances where I disagreed with my bosses, yet remained silent and simply did my job.
He then said, “But what if the leader is wrong?” He said, “Why didn’t you speak up to your boss? You are a man and he is a man. You have a right to share your thoughts.”
I told him he is a much better American than Christian. I explained that submission is a Christian quality we often struggle with. Last week’s devotion talked about us acting differently than the world. Listen to what 1 Peter chapter 2 tells us about this very issue:
18 Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh. 19 For this is commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully. 20 For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God. 21 For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: 22 “ Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth”; 23 who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; 24 who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed. 25 For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
It doesn’t get any clearer than this. We are responsible to be submissive – to the good coaches and bad coaches in life! Even to our earthly leaders our responses should be immediate and un-questioning! (Obviously as long as we are not being instructed to sin.)
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4 comments:
What would Jesus look like doing your job???
hello! :)
first and foremost, thanks for your faithful service to God. Think your blog has blessed many out there. May you continue to bear good fruits in the Lord and may God reward you in His perfect timing and His perfect way!
i think what you shared here is so true... i am quite similar to your son in a lot of ways. my first reaction to an instruction which i don't agree with would never be submission. i would analyze the whole situation, think i know better, and if i really have to, then i will grudgingly do whatever i am told to do. a lot of times, especially after the results are out, i would gloat over the fact that the instruction wasn't good, and if we did what i thought we should in the first place, things wouldn't have happened so. i guess that can only be pride. it takes courage and maturity to submit. it's something i still struggle with especially so because i am a female.
there's something that i would like to ask though. sometimes, because of what you have personally been through, you can be pretty sure that your point will benefit people more than what was instructed. in that case, do we still submit? i mean in the context of serving, those we are serving should be our priority (of course God has the greatest priority). so if something the authority says will not benefit the people, do we still do it out of submission?
currently, my stand is always to do what is right, no matter what the authority says. because i have witnessed that even in church, those in authority are mere Man, just as we are. fallible, weak and easily tempted. yeah, so where to draw the line between what's right and submission in issues that don't directly involve sinning or not
nice post..i like it very much.
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(hikari) when asked about where to draw the line i have to say that Biblically it would be where sin is involved - in other words if authority gives direction contrary to God then God trumps them - as for those areas where it is not "sin" but just feeling it is not best for the people then authority still rules (not the expected outcome) - Jesus was clear to give to Caeser what is Caeser's - not to try to first figure out how Caeser will spend the tax money - our problem is that we often view our success by the outcome instead of trusting God to use whatever circumstances arise
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