“BUT WE BESEECH you, brethren, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves” (1 Thess. 5:12–13). “Over you in the Lord.” Isn’t this a contradiction? Can there be anyone over you in the Lord? Isn’t the earliest Christian creed decisive: “Jesus is Lord”? “There is one Lord.” Are there underlings?
Yes. It would be simple if we had to obey Christ and Him alone. He is so trustable. I said to a lady missionary at conference who was troubled over her proposed appointment, “Well, surrender it to Christ and trust Him.” “Yes,” she snapped, “I can trust Christ, but I can’t trust the bishop and the district superintendent.” It is the underlings who are often the rub. The answer?
We must turn again to that decisive verse: “Be subject to one another out of reverence for Christ” (Eph. 5:21). You submit to Christ primarily and fully, and then out of reverence for Him you can submit to others for His sake. When you do it for His sake, you save your self-respect. You are not now submitting to injustice—you are submitting to injustice for His sake. That wrings out of the whole procedure a victory. You are on top even when you are underneath, for you are morally and spiritually superior. This is one side.
The other side: “esteem them very highly in love because of their work.” Look at them in love, not in rebellion. If you look at them in love you can see the good qualities and not merely the point that rubs you. Don’t magnify the point of irritation until the good is blotted out. “Be at peace among yourselves.” Don’t give him a piece of your mind, for you will lose your own peace of mind. Peace within is better than position without. Choose peace—it passes understanding!
Dear Father, I thank Thee for those who are over me in the Lord. Their burdens are heavy. Help me not to add to them. Make me easy to get along with according to Jesus Christ. I’ll need grace. I thank Thee. Amen.
AFFIRMATION FOR THE DAY: Those who are over me in the Lord are working for His sake, so I shall obey for His sake.
