There are people who react in different ways to neglect, misuse or abuse of authority; but our negative conceptions and experiences with authority produce life-draining emotions and attitudes. Take a minute to think about specific negative experiences in your life in which you dealt with individuals in alleged authority or found yourself in circumstances that seemed to control you. Now consider how you reacted to them as you read through the following list of reactions people may have to false authority:
A. Fear: They are afraid of being ruled and controlled.
B. Intimidation: They are unsettled by those who claim to have authority over them and may go along with their orders or suggestions only because they feel they have no choice.
C. Distrust/ Caution: They keep themselves at arm's length from others because they don't want to be taken advantage of or have their lives run by someone else.
D. Suspicion: They are distrustful of those who want to be in charge, and so they steer clear of them.
E. Friction: Their relationship with those who are "in charge" is tense; they have difficulty finding common ground on which to connect with supervisors, teachers, parents and colleagues.
F. Antagonism/ Contentiousness/ Defiance: They are disagreeable and belligerent in their interactions with others.
Before I go any further, in the "misuse and abuse", I want to share with you some words of encouragement from God's Constitution on the situation. Here is what the Word has to say for those who live by God's Word.
"When a man's ways please the Lord, He makes his enemies to be at peace with him."
Fear and faith can't occupy the same space at the same time. Just like fire can't occupy the same space at the same time. The only one that you should fear is the Lord of the heavens and the earth.
"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction."
Proverbs 16:7 Proverbs 1:7
~~W.R. Luchie
A. Fear: They are afraid of being ruled and controlled.
B. Intimidation: They are unsettled by those who claim to have authority over them and may go along with their orders or suggestions only because they feel they have no choice.
C. Distrust/ Caution: They keep themselves at arm's length from others because they don't want to be taken advantage of or have their lives run by someone else.
D. Suspicion: They are distrustful of those who want to be in charge, and so they steer clear of them.
E. Friction: Their relationship with those who are "in charge" is tense; they have difficulty finding common ground on which to connect with supervisors, teachers, parents and colleagues.
F. Antagonism/ Contentiousness/ Defiance: They are disagreeable and belligerent in their interactions with others.
Before I go any further, in the "misuse and abuse", I want to share with you some words of encouragement from God's Constitution on the situation. Here is what the Word has to say for those who live by God's Word.
"When a man's ways please the Lord, He makes his enemies to be at peace with him."
Fear and faith can't occupy the same space at the same time. Just like fire can't occupy the same space at the same time. The only one that you should fear is the Lord of the heavens and the earth.
"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction."
Proverbs 16:7 Proverbs 1:7
~~W.R. Luchie
