Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” (Luke 10:19, 20 ESV)
Authority and Love
Assuming that we accept that all authority comes from God, and is only delegated to us, (Matthew 28:18) we next get to ask WHY He has entrusted us thusly.
Our authority seems linked to our profit. In elementary school, I wore a crossing guard sash, and I enjoyed the small power to tell other children when they could move their feet. My mother once joined the ‘Church Decoration Committee,’ on my request, so that she could add Christmasy Wedding decorations for DeAnne and my December wedding. I knew a girl who desired to be mayor some day because her young eyes had observed, “the mayor can do whatever they want.”
But Jesus did not delegate authority (in any arena) to His people for their personal gain. Instead, when sending His disciples out into the world with power, He reminds them that every joule of power they wielded was only to be viewed in the context of their relationship with God. They were to rejoice because of their citizenship in God’s Kingdom, not because of the excitement they felt at the power that results.
And the same is true for us.
Whatever authority God has delegated to us, whether Emperor or slave, has been entrusted to us for a better reason than our enjoyment. We have authority to better serve others.
In this light, love and authority are tightly entwined. We have been given what authority we have because of love. We have been given what authority we have through love. We have been given what authority we have so that we can love.
We are not given authority because we love authority, or because we are being given a reward, or because with authority we get to selectively love.
We are given authority because we ARE loved by God. With the intention that we use our meager authority to display our love for HIM, and to love our neighbor as ourselves.
Authority and love go hand in hand. We see this in Christ Himself. He is the King, the Master, the Sovereign One. But He uses His authority as a manifestation of His love.
Take the love God grants us.