Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls and will give an account for their work. (Hebrews 13:17)
“Hey, Paul,” my voice gave a mid puberty squeak, “my parents are gone. Come pick me up.”
Paul arrived with other boys, and we brewed schemes of teenage rascality. As the night unfolded there were primal yells, illegal entries, and stolen goods.
The revelry jerked to a halt when the police stopped us for spinning doughnuts on our high school lawn. We denied the charge, but a grass covered souped-up Chevy made for an unconvincing tale. We spent the rest of the night in the town jail. So much for a parent free adventure.
God maintains order through hierarchies of authority, in both the physical and spiritual realms. In the material world he works through parents, governments, even armies, on occasion. In the church, he uses elders and pastors (AKA bishops, shepherds, overseers, & presbyters).
I was a foolish teenager when I cast off submission to authority, and I paid a dear price. As an adult, how often do I ignore the authority of my church leaders and lose out on blessings for myself and others? Do I even consult them about life decisions?
The anointing over positions within the body of Christ is bigger than the persons holding the offices. That’s not to say we should follow blindly. Leaders need to be held accountable to the Bible, and woe to the ones who misuse their authority. But when I submit to their Spirit led direction, I’m under the umbrella of God’s protection. To step out from under that privilege is more foolish than spinning doughnuts on the lawn.
Prayer: Father, use my church leaders to keep watch over my soul.