Authority and obedience can never be divided, with some people
having all the authority while others only have to obey. This separation
causes authoritarian behaviour on the one side and doormat behaviour on
the other. It perverts authority as well as obedience. A person with
great authority who has nobody to be obedient to is in great spiritual
danger. A very obedient person who has no authority over anyone is
equally in danger.
Jesus spoke with great authority, but his whole life was complete obedience to his Father, and Jesus, who said to his Father, "Let it be as you, not I, would have it" (Matthew 26:39), has been given all authority in heaven and on earth (see Matthew 28:18). Let us ask ourselves: Do we live our authority in obedience and do we live our obedience with authority?
Henri Nouwen
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