July 11

Evil Authority

                When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; but when a wicked man rules, the people groan.

            Whoever loves wisdom makes his father rejoice, but a companion of harlots wastes his wealth.

            The king establishes the land by justice, but he who receives bribes overthrows it.

            A man who flatters his neighbor spreads a net for his feet.

            By transgression an evil man is snared, but the righteous sings and rejoices.

            The righteous considers the cause of the poor, but the wicked does not understand such knowledge.

Proverbs 29:2-7

             

            There are times when those who are in authority over us are righteous men and women who use their gifts and abilities to lead well.  They could be elected officials, supervisors, teachers, pastors, parents or law enforcement.  When positions of authority are filled by people who are pure of heart and operating out of the gifts that God has given to them, the author would say that “the people rejoice.”  The community or business thrives and we are built up through our interactions with them.  In the non-profit sector we would describe these leaders as having a double-bottom line: they are concerned about both the fiscal numbers and their social impact.  They fulfill their job duties well and they also have a moral compass that lends itself to compassion, service and going above and beyond their responsibilities.  They are a joy to work for and a joy to serve under.

            Then there are the others.  When there are wicked men and women in authority, “the people groan.”  The news is filled with stories of individuals who abused their power and position and the repercussions are severe.  There are the corrupt CEOs who get rich by betraying their customers and employees.  There are the pastors who use their position to abuse their congregations.  There are the politicians who turn their backs on those who voted for them in order to profit from lobbyists.  There are people who abuse what power they have to make life miserable for their workers or their patients or their classrooms or their applicants. 

            Why include this into a devotional for our special needs families?  There are few things that I find more frustrating or that tend to put me into a terrible mood than working under terrible leadership.  I would come home under a storm cloud with anger and frustration pumping through my veins and then I would come face-to-face with the chaos of my home.  It was as if I had been presented with the “Last Straw” and given a choice to snap it or set it down, let go of my anger and engage with my family.  When we are able to deal with the frustrations and pressures of the world outside our house in a healthy manner, it is substantially easier to have a healthy time at home.

            What are we to do when we find ourselves subject to wickedness in authority?  I give you Matthew 5:44, “Love your enemies.  Bless them that curse you.  Do good to them that hate you.  Pray for those who despitefully use you and persecute you.”  If we are to be people of the Kingdom of God, then we will pursue this counter-cultural teaching when we encounter wickedness in authority.  It is the model that Jesus laid out and it is grounded in the fact that the ultimate authority that we are accountable to is God.  He says to reward malice with kindness and so we obey.  There are three ways that I think we pursue this:

·         Take the high road.  Be the change you want to see.  Be the better man.  Whatever cliché you want to throw out there, the idea is the same.  Allow your character to testify to the goodness of God.  Do not fall into personal attacks or slander or allow a grudge to taint your heart.  Choose hope and love and joy in the midst of darkness.  Lean into God and pray for the strength to make it through this season.

·         Community.  Find brothers and sisters who will lift you up, support you, and speak truth to you.  It is incredibly helpful to have the encouragement of others when it feels as if the world is against you.

·         Seek change.  We live in a society that has great potential for change.  Just because you are blessing the wicked in authority does not mean that you cannot work for a change in the law or the policy or the leadership that would make that society better.  We need not be fatalistic.  We can find a better job or a better church or a better living situation for our family.

Bad leadership exists and is often highly rewarded.  Sometimes God places us in their sphere of influence just so that we can bring a change that will make the people glad.  

A moment to reflect:

Where have you faced wickedness in authority?