Americans Don't Like to Be Told What To Do!

Mike Hosey, An Elder

America was born from the throes of rebellion. Severing herself from the monarchy of Britain, she grew quickly into the most powerful and influential nation in all of history. She spawned in her people a bias toward individualism.  Americans, by far, believe they can do almost anything, and don’t need anyone over them to tell them how to do it.  We’ve always had a streak of rugged individualism. For the most part, this has been good.  But it may also help to explain why we don’t like for people to tell us what to do. As a general rule, Americans aren’t as comfortable with authority as other peoples because we have historically been so independent, and until the last half century, our culture has honed us to solve our own problems. If you are anything like me, you’ve felt this disdain for authority before. Perhaps your boss was a complete knucklehead, and he or she tried to tell you how to do your job, even though he or she had no clue about how to perform the simplest part of your assigned tasks.  Or perhaps you’ve had a pastor, or professor, or teacher who was a jerk.  If you’ve been there, I can relate.  And if you’re there right now, I feel your pain because I have been there too. But Romans 13:1-2 unequivocally asserts that we are to respect the authority over us.  Even if it is evil. Remember that Paul wrote those verses while living under the rule of a brutal Roman Empire whose leaders had no respect for Paul’s philosophy, or the gospel he preached, or the people he served.

But Paul wasn’t arguing that we should follow ungodly commands. And he certainly wasn’t telling us that we had to respect evil. He wasn’t even arguing that we have to respect rude character.  Respect for authority is simply that, respect for authority, and that’s all Paul was commanding.  So if the candidate that you don’t like (and it’s ok not to like a candidate) gets into office, you are to respect the office, not necessarily the person.  You are to respect the position, and not necessarily the character of the person who holds that position.  This is because God has placed that person in that position, and he has plans for that position, just like he has plans for you.  And frankly, neither you nor I have any right to question his wisdom regarding that placement. Don’t believe me? Just do a cursory read of Romans 11:33-36 where we are told how great God is. Finally, this doesn’t mean that opposing the leaders we don't like is wrong. Our political process allows for that opposition. In fact, it even encourages it.  But you are to do it with respect for their positions, respect for Christ as a bearer of his image, and a respect for the truth. Finally, you are to do it by following the rules of the system that allows for the opposition.