Honor the King

This week has been like a spiritual kick in the pants. When I thought that all my plans were going well and that my course of actions were correct and with good intentions, God decides to teach me a lesson. Taught me a lesson is what He did alright.

I had been working on my lesson for youth group for almost two weeks now. I have put off assignments and lost sleep for this lesson that I am working on so that I could get it just right for the kids, and it turns out that I don't even get to give it, but instead God gives me the lesson. The lesson is one on respect and was very hands on.

When I first started to attend the youth group that I am working now, I had a desire to see the group grow and change. I had a vision for the youth group and had an agenda to accomplish while I am there. But the problem came with the youth director, who is okay with keeping the group the way they are and not changing activities or approach to much. Regardless of what is going on, the principle is that I am having an issue with the authority that is over me as a youth leader in the youth group. I have been trying to work my way around the youth director, trying to fulfill my agenda underneath him without him knowing. I would purposely not communicate actions that I planed to take because I knew he would disagree with them. I was not honoring his authority, or even him as a person. This week I realized that fact.

I realized this fact when he took over my lesson and changed my plans. Rachel saw my frustration and pointed out to me that I was not being respectful of the youth director. She pointed me to scriptures the allowed me to see that I was doing more harm then good with my agenda. Unity is important, not good programs. Relationships, not good lessons. Following God's agenda, not mine. His agenda says that I need to honor the authorities that He has put in place over my life, regardless of whether or not they are doing good.

In the bible, Paul wrote to the Romans while under the authority of an evil king this passage:

Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.
~Romans 13:1

Later