Mostly we think of people with great authority as higher up, far
away, hard to reach. But spiritual authority comes from compassion and
emerges from deep inner solidarity with those who are "subject" to
authority. The one who is fully like us, who deeply understands our joys
and pains or hopes and desires, and who is willing and able to walk
with us, that is the one to whom we gladly give authority and whose
"subjects" we are willing to be.
It is the compassionate authority that empowers, encourages, calls forth hidden gifts, and enables great things to happen. True spiritual authorities are located in the point of an upside-down triangle, supporting and holding into the light everyone they offer their leadership to.
Henri Nouwen
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