School Authorities

But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men. Acts 5:29 (ESV)

              One of my favorite computer games as a kid was Oregon Trail. Computers were new to the classroom, and the internet was in its fledgling form. The game showed what life was like for early pioneers who left their homes in the east and searched for a new life in the west. Exploring new lands fascinated me. But even more than that, many did it with no formal education.

              We are blessed to live in a country where education is available to all. Since we offer education, that means there is an educational system. And within that system, there is a hierarchy of authority.

              For the traditional public school, there are teachers and paraprofessionals who are in charge of implementing best practices in the classroom. Many of them are part of a team where they take concerns to a team leader. Beyond the team leader the principal or assistant principal. Then these administrators report to the superintendent.

              Within companies, we see similar leadership hierarchies. There is always a chain of command and an order to follow. Insurance. Corporations. Publishing houses. To everything there is an order.

              And sometimes the order is broken.

              My first year teaching, we had a broken hierarchy. My team leader was wonderful and offered a wealth of information. She was supportive and helped me in every way possible. But the assistant principal assigned to me at the time was just the opposite. I couldn’t trust him to do his job, and the chain of command weak at his link.

              The other administrators were easier to deal with, but they were not my direct supervisors. The superintendent at the time was a good leader, but I couldn’t jump over the authority I was told to answer to. Submitting to authority in this instance made life as a first-year teacher extremely difficult.

              So, what do we do when we have a weak link in the chain? How are we supposed to submit to an authority that isn’t fit for the job? Like we learned earlier in the week through the example of David, we are to show respect to the one God has placed in authority. We aren’t to backbite or undermine, but to respect and keep in proper order, as long as they are not leading us to do something that goes against God’s greater law.

              There were instances that year where I had to choose to submit to his directions or submit to God’s instructions. I was unofficially reprimanded and shunned a couple times because I chose God instead of man, but when I put my head down on the pillow at night, I had peace in my heart.

              Even when the link is broken, we are called to submit to our designated school authorities. God instructs us. But if we ever find ourselves caught between God and man, we go with God every time.

Do the Heart Work

1.      Make a mental list of your school assigned authorities and think of three positive and three negative qualities for each.

2.      Which ones are easier to submit to? Why?

3.      Think about the example you are setting for your students in how you submit and honor those in authority. Could they follow your example?

Digging Deeper

Read Luke 1:28-38 (NIV). The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”

“How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”

The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. For no word from God will ever fail.”

“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.

Mary was a virgin pledged to be married. The people would talk. The family might shun. Joseph would think she cheated. But Mary submitted to God’s authority. She believed what he said. And chose to walk a road that would prove difficult in the beginning but fruitful overall.

What if Mary had been too concerned about what others thought? What if she had not submitted to God’s authority?

If You Get Spare Time

              Our ultimate authority is God, but there are others in between that we are told to submit to. Take time this week to pray for every person in your school who holds a place of authority, even if they aren’t your favorite. Pray that God would give them wisdom, blessings, and eyes to see the unseen. And ask God to teach you how to better submit to their leadership in your life.