Therefore, you must submit, not only because of wrath but also because of your conscience. Romans 13:5
Imagine you’re hustling along a lonesome country road, oblivious to the speed limit. Suddenly, in the distance, you see a person—he looks a lot like a policeman— standing on the shoulder. After you fly past him, you see him in your rearview mirror, screaming at you. Of course, traveling at Mach 1, you can’t hear anything. But you can tell that he’s fired up because he’s dancing up and down and shaking his fists at you.
Unfortunately—and this is from personal experience—that’s not what happens. Policemen—those sitting in their souped-up cars—have the authority to do more than yell and scream, a lot more. If you speed by, they’ll chase you down and slap a substantial fine on you.
Can they do this? Yes, they can. Why can they do this? Because they have authority over you. And who gave them permission to levy this fine against us? You and I did when we decided to live in this country, vote, and pay taxes.
If you’re a father, the words you read today may be the most important you’ve ever read. “There is no authority except from God” (v. 1). The apostle Paul reminds us that, under God and with His blessing, there is a chain of command, a sequence of authorities and subordinates. And depending on the situation, you’re either an authority or a subordinate.
If you have a boss—from a foreman to a board of directors—you understand what it is to be an underling. From the time you were in first grade until today, you’ve known this position full well. But what about living at the other end of the spectrum? Do you know about being in authority?
Please listen carefully. These words are not coming from me. They are yours to examine straight from God’s Word. You have authority in your home. You are a boss, a state trooper for you or a principal for your children. Of course, your discipline must be thoughtful, loving, and fair, but you do not need permission to exercise it. As certainly as that policeman had the right to pull you over and vacuum out your wallet, you have the absolute right and privilege to take responsibility for your family.
And how can you and I learn the secrets of being a great superior, a fair policeman, and a helpful coach? We get our clues by being a great subordinate, a loyal contingent of the authority over us. As we display what humble submission looks like and what fair leadership feels like, we will be an example to our children, our subordinates, of how they are to live and how they are to act with us.
If you’re a dad, you have the authority to do more than yell and scream. And just as we gave the policeman the right to pull us over and stick it to our checking accounts, God has given you the right to be the dad.
Take this authority; it’s yours. Be careful with it, and continue to be a faithful subordinate to a heavenly Father who loves you and can catch up to you no matter how fast you’re going.