This type of relational cancer works in individuals to keep
them from being fully persons in relationships with others. It works its
procrustean power poison in all types of relationships be they marital, familial,
occupational, educational, or governmental. The church is not immune to this
disease and in fact, is a place where it thrives. This has happened throughout
history as fallen humanity has struggled to exercise dominion in the world
without surrendering itself to the higher authority of a loving and redemptive
God.
There is nothing wrong with exercising God-given authority
within the scope of our position and context if we have not given ourselves absolute
authority. We must recognize that we too are under the authority of God. And he
has modeled humble leadership for us in many ways, most profoundly in the life
and ministry of Jesus Christ. I have always been impressed that while the
disciples would quarrel amongst themselves over who was the greatest while a Roman
centurion (who knew about having authority and also being under authority) could immediately
and humbly recognize that true authority was in Jesus, and submit himself to it.
In Matthew 8, after appealing for help for his paralyzed
servant and receiving Jesus' pledge to come and heal him, the centurion gave an
answer that amazed even Jesus,
But the centurion replied, “Lord, I am not worthy to have
you come under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant will be healed. 9 For
I too am a man 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 servant, ‘Do
this,’ and he does it.” 10 When Jesus heard this, he marveled
and said to those who followed him,
“Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found
such faith…” (8:8-10)
And Jesus concludes this pericope by saying in v.13, “Go;
let it be done for you as you have believed.” I think it is good for us to notice the obvious fact that it
was not because of the centurion’s ability to control the situation, but in
response to his belief—his trust—that Jesus was enough for the situation that
Jesus was amazed. Our situational control and great works are not what Jesus is
looking for…but our childlike and reasoned trust is.
When we are afraid and insecure we try to control our
environment more than ever…and that includes the people around us. However, the
collateral damage of our tendency to control can be catastrophic. May the Lord
give us faith like the centurion, that we might humble ourselves instead of
demanding, love generously instead of acting in fear, and make our pleas for others truly out of
empathy for the sake of others and not for ourselves. This needs to be applied collectively not just as individuals.
The centurion in Capernaum knew something about the
mutuality of authority that kept him from becoming a controlling person. It is
something that as Paul addresses the responsibility we have in our various
relationships, he speaks to those who have power, “Masters, treat your bondservants justly
and fairly, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.” (Colossians 4:1) And the Apostle John addressed the
root cause of the cancer of control, and its cure, when he wrote, “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out
fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been
perfected in love. We love because he first loved us.” (1 John 4:18-19)
Let us humble ourselves rather than exalt ourselves. Let us
love because we have been loved by Jesus. Let us trust all our pressing
concerns into his care rather than our command. Let us see the Lord’s power at
work!
“And the servant was healed at that very moment.” (Matthew 8:13)
