I'm sick of people in positions of authority not getting the thanks/respect they deserve.
Yes, I said it.
We live in such an anti-authority culture right now. Cops are getting shot. If they aren't getting shot, they are being baited, insulted, screamed at, you name it. Teachers are being cussed out by students and parents. Pastors are maligned and gossiped about. Parents are ridiculed. Just about anyone in authority right now is in this culture's crosshairs.
When I was in school, I couldn't stand fellow students who disrespected the teacher. I even got upset at students who disrespected the substitute teacher. I hate anarchy and chaos, which is what disrespect for authority always creates. I hate mob mentalities and I hate social breakdown. All of that happens when authority is disrespected.
I was talking to the husband of a teacher who teaches fifth grade. He told me that just this past week, one of her students called her a "bitch" and said, "I have no idea how you are married." Another student had threatened her physically. These are ten and eleven year olds doing this to adults.
Cops tell me that if they drive down certain streets, they are jeered and mocked and insulted as they drive by.
I'm tired of the anti-authority climate we are living in right now.
It is tearing apart our communities. It is tearing apart our nation. I don't want to be part of a nation where cops are the enemy and thugs are the victims. I don't want to be part of a community where law and order has broken down and no one wants to be a cop anymore due to the lack of respect and safety. I don't want my children going to schools where teachers are cussed, disrespected, and unable to do their jobs because of the constant discipline problems of disrespectful, unruly kids. I don't want to live in a society where those who labor and toil are the bad guys and those who are rude, insolent, and incorrigible are seen as the good guys. I don't want to live in a country where thugs and hoodlums wait for an authority figure to make a mistake and then pounce with lawsuits and public shaming, making everyone else walk on eggshells afraid to do their jobs.
That's when societal breakdown happens. That's what I see happening in America right now.
Even those who don't actively oppose those in authority- do you actively support those in authority?
Too often, we set up a welfare-type relationship with those in authority. In a welfare relationship, all the gifts and services flow one way: from the authority to the people. There is nothing that goes from the people to the authority. Welfare-type relationships are always unhealthy. When one side does all the giving and the other side does all the taking, it never ends well. You can change that.
Move towards a more "community-type" relationship with authority. Unlike welfare, in community relationships gifts and services flow both ways. People are both givers AND receivers. These are much more healthy relationships.
Ask yourself this question: how do I benefit from those in authority over me? How does your child benefit from his or her teacher? That's obvious. Now the harder question- how does my child's teacher benefit from me? How do I bless him or her? How do I encourage him or her? That's community, not welfare.
How do I benefit from the policeman down the street? That's obvious. If a thug breaks into your home, he is the first responder. Now the harder question- how does the policeman benefit from me? How do I bless him? How do I encourage him? How do I make his job easier and more enjoyable? That's community, not welfare.
Church members, how do you benefit from the work of your pastor? Has he counseled you in marriage? Has there been any wisdom you've gleaned from a sermon? You wouldn't be going to the church you are going to if you were benefiting from his work. Now the tougher question- how does your pastor benefit from you being part of the church? That's community, not welfare.
Get rid of the welfare-type relationships we have with authority and begin a community-type relationship with those in authority around us.
Here are some recommendations that I will make so that you can be a different person in this culture:
1) If you see a cop or cops at a restaurant, buy them a milkshake, take it over to them, and tell them that you appreciate what they do.
2) Write the elders in your church a thank-you note for their oversight of the church. There are good elders and there are bad elders, but I've never seen a lazy elder. Being an elder is a lot of work and the Bible says they deserve our respect. Let them know you appreciate them.
3) Support your teacher when she calls out your kid for misbehavior. Yes. Your kid isn't perfect and most likely isn't being persecuted by a mean teacher. When I was a kid, my parents were always on my teachers' side. It was good for me. I survived. So will your kid. You will be an anomaly to your kids' teachers, because they certainly don't see much of that these days.
4) Pray for your pastor. Then write him a note telling him you prayed for him. You have no idea how much it means to us when we find out we are being prayed for by the congregation we serve.
5) Do something kind totally at random. When my family was in India, one of the people in our church came over and mowed and edged my lawn. I hadn't been able to get it done before we left and it would have been a jungle nightmare when we got back. When we arrived back home, my yard looked amazing. That has to be one of the kindest things someone has ever done for me as a pastor.
Whatever you do, we need to stop this anti-authority thing we have going on in this country. Authority is necessary. Is it always right? No. Those who abuse their authority should be removed at once. However, don't make the good ones pay for the actions of the bad ones. Support the good ones. Be a blessing to those in authority over you. Our country is unraveling before our very eyes, and it's because we have lost respect for the institutions that have in the past held us together. We need to be above the cultural norm. Start appreciating those in authority over you, because they have a big job. I fear for the future of a country that consistently denigrates and disrespects those who are called to lead.
Actually, I don't fear for the future of that country, because there won't BE a future for that country.
Yes, I said it.
We live in such an anti-authority culture right now. Cops are getting shot. If they aren't getting shot, they are being baited, insulted, screamed at, you name it. Teachers are being cussed out by students and parents. Pastors are maligned and gossiped about. Parents are ridiculed. Just about anyone in authority right now is in this culture's crosshairs.
When I was in school, I couldn't stand fellow students who disrespected the teacher. I even got upset at students who disrespected the substitute teacher. I hate anarchy and chaos, which is what disrespect for authority always creates. I hate mob mentalities and I hate social breakdown. All of that happens when authority is disrespected.
I was talking to the husband of a teacher who teaches fifth grade. He told me that just this past week, one of her students called her a "bitch" and said, "I have no idea how you are married." Another student had threatened her physically. These are ten and eleven year olds doing this to adults.
Cops tell me that if they drive down certain streets, they are jeered and mocked and insulted as they drive by.
I'm tired of the anti-authority climate we are living in right now.
It is tearing apart our communities. It is tearing apart our nation. I don't want to be part of a nation where cops are the enemy and thugs are the victims. I don't want to be part of a community where law and order has broken down and no one wants to be a cop anymore due to the lack of respect and safety. I don't want my children going to schools where teachers are cussed, disrespected, and unable to do their jobs because of the constant discipline problems of disrespectful, unruly kids. I don't want to live in a society where those who labor and toil are the bad guys and those who are rude, insolent, and incorrigible are seen as the good guys. I don't want to live in a country where thugs and hoodlums wait for an authority figure to make a mistake and then pounce with lawsuits and public shaming, making everyone else walk on eggshells afraid to do their jobs.
That's when societal breakdown happens. That's what I see happening in America right now.
Even those who don't actively oppose those in authority- do you actively support those in authority?
Too often, we set up a welfare-type relationship with those in authority. In a welfare relationship, all the gifts and services flow one way: from the authority to the people. There is nothing that goes from the people to the authority. Welfare-type relationships are always unhealthy. When one side does all the giving and the other side does all the taking, it never ends well. You can change that.
Move towards a more "community-type" relationship with authority. Unlike welfare, in community relationships gifts and services flow both ways. People are both givers AND receivers. These are much more healthy relationships.
Ask yourself this question: how do I benefit from those in authority over me? How does your child benefit from his or her teacher? That's obvious. Now the harder question- how does my child's teacher benefit from me? How do I bless him or her? How do I encourage him or her? That's community, not welfare.
How do I benefit from the policeman down the street? That's obvious. If a thug breaks into your home, he is the first responder. Now the harder question- how does the policeman benefit from me? How do I bless him? How do I encourage him? How do I make his job easier and more enjoyable? That's community, not welfare.
Church members, how do you benefit from the work of your pastor? Has he counseled you in marriage? Has there been any wisdom you've gleaned from a sermon? You wouldn't be going to the church you are going to if you were benefiting from his work. Now the tougher question- how does your pastor benefit from you being part of the church? That's community, not welfare.
Get rid of the welfare-type relationships we have with authority and begin a community-type relationship with those in authority around us.
Here are some recommendations that I will make so that you can be a different person in this culture:
1) If you see a cop or cops at a restaurant, buy them a milkshake, take it over to them, and tell them that you appreciate what they do.
2) Write the elders in your church a thank-you note for their oversight of the church. There are good elders and there are bad elders, but I've never seen a lazy elder. Being an elder is a lot of work and the Bible says they deserve our respect. Let them know you appreciate them.
3) Support your teacher when she calls out your kid for misbehavior. Yes. Your kid isn't perfect and most likely isn't being persecuted by a mean teacher. When I was a kid, my parents were always on my teachers' side. It was good for me. I survived. So will your kid. You will be an anomaly to your kids' teachers, because they certainly don't see much of that these days.
4) Pray for your pastor. Then write him a note telling him you prayed for him. You have no idea how much it means to us when we find out we are being prayed for by the congregation we serve.
5) Do something kind totally at random. When my family was in India, one of the people in our church came over and mowed and edged my lawn. I hadn't been able to get it done before we left and it would have been a jungle nightmare when we got back. When we arrived back home, my yard looked amazing. That has to be one of the kindest things someone has ever done for me as a pastor.
Whatever you do, we need to stop this anti-authority thing we have going on in this country. Authority is necessary. Is it always right? No. Those who abuse their authority should be removed at once. However, don't make the good ones pay for the actions of the bad ones. Support the good ones. Be a blessing to those in authority over you. Our country is unraveling before our very eyes, and it's because we have lost respect for the institutions that have in the past held us together. We need to be above the cultural norm. Start appreciating those in authority over you, because they have a big job. I fear for the future of a country that consistently denigrates and disrespects those who are called to lead.
Actually, I don't fear for the future of that country, because there won't BE a future for that country.
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