What should I do if I have a bad attitude toward authorities over me?

Hebrews 3:7-10That is why the Holy Spirit says, “Today when you hear his voice, don’t harden your hearts as Israel did when they rebelled, when they tested me in the wilderness. There your ancestors tested and tried my patience, even though they saw my miracles for forty years. So I was angry with them, and I said, ‘Their hearts always turn away from me. They refuse to do what I tell them.’”

We can get tired of being told what to do, and we will be tempted to chart our own course and become our own persons. But being one’s own person and being rebellious are totally different. Authority is not always bad; the abuse of authority is what is bad. God’s authority, his rules, will not only save lives but will show us how to be successful and blessed. We should never rebel against God’s authority because in doing so we will jeopardize our very souls. Being one’s own person doesn’t mean doing whatever we want to; it means using our God-given personality and talents to serve him through serving others.

Matthew 20:26“But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant.”

John 3:30“He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less.”

In order to be looked up to by others, we should have a servant’s heart. We should be willing to take responsibility for our actions, not deferring responsibility when it is convenient. We should refuse to stay silent when things are wrong. We should not look for ways to seek glory for ourselves. The world teaches us to look and act cool, to use coarse or foul language, to not respect authority, and to bend the rules as far as we can. In the end, however, it is people who have consistently submitted to God’s authority, living with kindness, integrity, and a deep love for God, who are most respected and honored.