In this fallen world, there are some authorities (i.e., people placed in charge of others) who make it really difficult to follow them. Some people put in authority are only looking out for themselves. Others don’t know what they are doing, or treat their subordinates terribly.
Still, when someone in authority is doing a good job, or is at least doing the best that they can and trying to improve, I think that each of us has some idea about the respect that those under authority – especially those following good leaders – owe to those who have been set over them:
- There is a hierarchy in the family unit, between parents and children.
- There is a hierarchy in employment, between manager (or business owner) and employee.
- There is a hierarchy in the military, a hierarchy in school, and a hierarchy in politics.
And, as we learn in Romans 13:1-7, even our freedom in Christ doesn’t exempt us from respecting authorities that God has established. Now, human authority is imperfect, of course, but as we can learn from the Bible, sometimes God intentionally allows even evil leaders to wield power for a time, in order to serve God’s purposes. However, God-arranged authority still should be respected, as long as He remains the ultimate authority in our lives.
That’s not always easy, though. Maybe you’ve wished that you could be the “boss of everything”, but the more I think about that, the less appealing it becomes to me, as I consider the responsibility that comes with being in charge!
In the book of Malachi, God appeals to His people’s understanding of what it means to be under authority, and what sort of respect they knew that others in authority expected to receive.
“A son honors his father, and a slave his master. If I am a father, where is the honor due me? If I am a master, where is the respect due me?” says the LORD Almighty.
“It is you priests who show contempt for my name.
“But you ask, ‘How have we shown contempt for your name?’
“By offering defiled food on my altar.
“But you ask, ‘How have we defiled you?’
“By saying that the LORD’s table is contemptible. When you offer blind animals for sacrifice, is that not wrong? When you sacrifice lame or diseased animals, is that not wrong? Try offering them to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you?” says the LORD Almighty.
“Now plead with God to be gracious to us. With such offerings from your hands, will he accept you?”—says the LORD Almighty.
Malachi 1:6-9 NIV
https://bible.com/bible/111/mal.1.6-9.NIV
If the Israelites were told to make the best of their living in exile (see Jeremiah 29), even where the rulers were pretty far from following God’s commandments, how much more should the very priests of Israel have shown respect for their Heavenly Father, who was also their Lord and Master? (Consider also Paul’s instructions to the Romans, to “be subject to the governing authorities” – see Romans 13:1.)
However, even though God’s right to out the priest’s offense to Him – their lack of respect shown to Him – was accurate, the priests could “play dumb” when confronted with this accusation from God. They were sacrificing at the temple, after all, so wasn’t that good enough? Did the bread really have to be fresh (and not stale or moldy), and did the animals have to be perfect? After all, weren’t sacrifices going to get burned up on the altar, anyway?
In the same way, I admit that when a pastor challenges us to step up the quality of our walk with Jesus, my gut reaction is to start thinking about my current (or recent) practices, and try to justify that I’m already “good enough”.
Just as Jesus (in His “Sermon on the Mount”) later taught us that our heart is what counts, not just our external actions, God makes it clear here that just “checking a box” isn’t what He seeks from His people (centuries before Jesus gave His life for humankind). The Law of Moses had specified that only unblemished animals were to be used for at least certain sacrifices, but even if it didn’t say so, one would hope that God’s people would want to put Him first, and give Him only the best of what they had.
After all, as the Lookout (a study guide, cited below) reminds us, there’s a hymn that says, ”Give of your best to the Master; Give him first place in your heart”. God is worth more than our partial effort, our leftovers, or our second-best. He deserves the best of what we have.
So, as we take an inventory of what we are doing for God, let’s take a step back and ask ourselves a potentially more important question: Where does God rank in our lives? Are we trying to check some boxes, merely so that we can say that we’re doing what we are supposed to? Or, are we thinking about God as the #1 priority in our lives, and making our decisions based on how we can show Him that He truly has first place?
I think about a hypothetical young couple who has just started dating. They are enamored with each other, and their thoughts about each other fill up the time when they are apart. They try to think of just the right places and events to spend time together; they search for the perfect gifts for each other; and they try to come up with just the right words to say or write to each other.
Does God have that kind of place in our lives? Do we think about what we can do to honor Him? Do we dwell on what we want to say to Him? Do we listen to everything He says to us, so that we can learn what He likes? Do we search for opportunities to do His will, to bring Him glory, and to serve Him? Or, do we just get by with the minimum we think is “required” from God?
From Sunday School lesson prepared for August 18, 2024
References:
- The Lookout, August, 2024, © 2024 Christian Standard Media.
- Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
- The College Press NIV Commentary – Minor Prophets Vol. 2 Nahum-Malachi, by Mark Allen Hahlen and Clay Alan Ham. © 2006 College Press Publishing Co.
Those Who Sin Differently 