My Struggle With Authority

By Denise Spooner

While coming home from church in my son’s sporty WRX a hot little Supra cruised up beside me. The driver took one look at my ride and revved his engine.

I was quickly taken to a memory as a young girl in Phoenix just coming off a red light gunning it into first, swiftly shifting to second and enjoying being plastered to the back of my seat in my ‘68 Mustang. I shifted into third as three digits on my speedometer suddenly appeared while other drivers were but specks in my rear view mirror. Racing is alive and well in me, so when the young man in his Supra and I in my son’s WRX looked at one another, something hit me like a brick. I wanted to race. But what a bad mentor I would have been. I tell young people, “Save it for the track,” but I wanted to encourage this young man to drag on the street.

I am enrolled at RCC majoring in Criminal Justice and lead a study hall program for kids in junior high at a local middle school. Maintaining an attitude of obedience, not only to God but to authority, is mandatory.

As a mentor, I'm not only obligated to follow the rules of the land that do not contradict the will of God, but I must walk the walk and not just talk the talk. Matthew 28:18-20 says: “And Jesus came and spoke to them saying, All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

The authority I first obey is God’s…not my own will nor my evil heart. I must obey lawful authority as well, but God’s authority needs to rule my heart and lead my actions. If I am to mentor and disciple others under God’s authority, I had better line up my heart with His will and stomp on thoughts of disobedience rather than entertaining them, even but for a moment.

Obeying authority is what I teach, preach and absolutely must follow in order to be the mentor God wants me to be. I will make a difference in the lives of these young people with God's help and strength. The Lord knows I struggle with some of their same struggles. Authority must have its way in me so disobedience does not rule me.

Now, if I can only apply this to all areas of my life whether I’m in the fast lane or slowly cruising by.

Denise Spooner writes from Grants Pass, Oregon. lhasaz4u@yahoo.com