Living in the Spirit
May 29, 2016

Scripture Reading: Luke 7:1-10

For I also am a man set under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to one, “Go”, and he goes, and to another, “Come”, and he comes, and to my slave, “Do this”, and the slave does it.’ When Jesus heard this he was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd that followed him, he said, ‘I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.’ When those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the slave in good health. –Luke 7:8-10

Humility and authority are probably not normally linked together but that is exactly what we have here. A centurion, clearly a person of authority, recognizes the authority in this peasant preacher and ask for his help to save his slave. Rare though it may be, it is a beautiful combination found in both of these men.

I suppose some are born with one or the other of these characteristics and a few with both. Most I think learn them through the lessons of life. The centurion after sending his people to find Jesus, in recognizing the authority in Jesus, is suddenly struck with a sense of humility and sends others to not bother Jesus, asking that he just say the word and the slave would be healed. Jesus acknowledges the authority and faith of the centurion by honoring his request.

When we find ourselves called to a position of authority, we need to also hone our humility. It is the counterbalance to authoritarianism, which never works.

Prayer: Lord, help us grow in our leadership ability when called to assume it and grant us humble hearts in all our service provided within your authority. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized 
Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council 
of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights 
reserved.