I need to take this very, very seriously

       Daily Meditation for April 11, 2010
              written by Henri Nouwen

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Authority and Obedience

Authority and obedience can never be divided, with some
people having all the authority while others only have to
obey.  This separation causes authoritarian behaviour on
the one side and doormat behaviour on the other.  It
perverts authority as well as obedience.  A person with
great authority who has nobody to be obedient to is in
great spiritual danger.  A very obedient person who has
no authority over anyone is equally in danger.

Jesus spoke with great authority, but his whole life was
complete obedience to his Father, and Jesus, who said to
his Father, "Let it be as you, not I, would have it"
(Matthew 26:39), has been given all authority in heaven
and on earth (see Matthew 28:18).   Let us ask ourselves:
Do we live our authority in obedience and do we live our
obedience with authority?