Who to Fear

For Friday, August 17, 2007
Proverbs 24:21-22

My son, fear the Lord and the king,
and do not join with those who do otherwise,
for disaster from them will rise suddenly,
and who knows the ruin that will
come from them both?

It is our tendency to separate the authority of the Lord from that of the king (person in position over us). The "king" could be our President or mayor or boss or teacher or parent - anyone who has responsibility for us. We are quick to point out the deficiencies of the "king," claiming that we follow only God. And so we neglect the tendency of Scripture to equate obedience to earthly authority with that of obedience to God. Read Romans 13 and 1 Peter 2. Consider the scriptural principal that we are to respect positions of authority in whatever circumstance that may be - parent to child, official to citizen, master to servant, husband to wife. Certainly there are many in authority who abuse their position, and they will be held accountable to God. But we are not to be quick to reject the authority of others who have been duly placed in their positions.

Apply this to church. Everyone who joins a church are happy to say that they will abide by the authority of the church leaders. But let the moment come when elders hold a person to account for his actions, and he will quickly reject their "presumption." He must be faithful to God and reject the counsel of the elders who are God's undershepherds responsible for the flock. The same pattern follows in the workplace and school and other areas. We know best. We know what God wants. It is up to us to stand against appointed leaders.

Take to heart the final warning: "Who knows the ruin that will come from them both?" People have gone from job to job, from church to church, even from marriage to marriage because everyone else is being unreasonable; no one else seems to understand what they alone can see. Fear the Lord and the king, the person placed in authority over you. If indeed that person is wrong, then all the more fear the Lord who is in control. Ultimately, the question is a matter of trust. Will we trust the Lord to have placed certain people over us for our ultimate good? Will we take the time to examine our hearts and discover what our Lord would have us learn about ourselves?