A precocious middle-school student asked a soldier visiting her class what he would do if he were ordered to do something wrong. Then she made it personal. “What if they told you to shoot innocent people?”
As the teacher held her breath and the students sat on the edge of their seats, the soldier calmly replied, “I’m duty-bound to obey the lawful orders of those appointed over me. And I’m just as duty-bound to disobey an unlawful order.” That serviceman understood the principle of a higher authority.
Long ago, King Saul grew envious of the young warrior David, so he instructed his servants and his son Jonathan to kill him. Jonathan wisely defied his father’s directive and got David out of harm’s way (1 Samuel 19:1-3). And “the next morning Jonathan spoke with his father about David, saying many good things about him” (1 Samuel 19:4). Saul relented—at least for a while (1 Samuel 19:6).
Few of us will encounter such an extreme situation, but we all face times when we’re asked to ignore our conscience and God’s instruction. The disciple Peter’s counsel to the authorities who arrested him shows us the courage we need. “We must obey God rather than human authority. . . . God put [Jesus] in the place of honor at his right hand as Prince and Savior,” Peter said, despite the fact that the council wanted to kill him (Acts 5:29,31,33).
Making the right choice might cost us very little, or it may cost us a lot. Some have even given their lives defying evil. Whatever we face, the scriptural pattern for us remains clear: show respect, make a reasoned argument, and follow God—our ultimate authority. May we depend on Him and His power as we seek to do what’s right today.
NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: John 4:1-42
More:
In the Acts 5:17-41 account that reveals Peter and John’s courage, who was the unlikely voice of reason? (see especially vv.33-40).
Next:
What choice of conscience faces you today? What response will truly honor God?
Gary Shultz on June 21, 2016 at 6:42 am
We could spend a lot of time here Tim. I try to catch myself when I start to complain about our world today. It is true, our cost has been very small here in the states for the most part. The leading indicators would seem to show a speedy closing of the things we take for granted; it is breathtaking to see where are going. To keep this out of the complaint bin, the question must be asked, “What are you/me going to do about it?”
Hopefully we to will say, “We must obey God rather than human authority”…. Thanks Tim
Tim Gustafson on June 21, 2016 at 7:46 am
Yes, Gary, and I’ve learned that one of my problems is that I don’t do righteous anger well. But I do get angry at the evil, that’s for sure!
gagirllive on June 21, 2016 at 8:50 am
Hi, Tim. I have written often on this forum about the persecuted church whom we in the west have largely been silent about. We desperately need to learn from them what true persecution is and how to respond to it. Everyday they make real choices to obey God rather than man. And it’s costly. We have not arrived there in our country yet, but I do believe it’s coming. A verse that I often meditate on these days is 1 Peter 3: 15. “But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.” This is what I want—Christ above all others, a ready answer for the hope that is in me, and the right attitude in my witness. This is the law of love. This is our defense now and in the days ahead. Great word for us today, Tim. Thank you.
Tim Gustafson on June 21, 2016 at 10:10 am
gagirllive, I hear the same gentle caution from friends of mine who grew up in a totalitarian country. They believe it is coming as well.
godlove on June 21, 2016 at 10:22 am
Very thought-provoking piece, Tim. The question which that brave young student asked the soldier has me thinking… is it right for a believer to be a soldier in an army where he will probably have to kill other humans? I have always wondered whether Christ’s followers should take part in wars where they are called upon to deliberately harm other brothers and sisters. Where does love and forgiveness come in then? Is it our place to revenge or to take justice in our hands? Shouldn’t we better let God Almighty decide who is right and who is wrong, who should live and who should die? I know it’s probably a very difficult question, particularly for people who live in places where they come under attack and are almost compelled to retaliate to save their lives and keep their families safe. But what does Jesus’ teaching of turning the other cheek mean then? Isn’t God’s authority higher than all human authority? Isn’t His love bigger than human wickedness?
Tim Gustafson on June 21, 2016 at 10:30 am
Hi, godlove. I can’t answer these excellent questions for you. It sounds like perhaps you have already landed in a good place on them, or are at least prayerfully pondering them. But I can tell you how I interpret Jesus’ “turn the other cheek” instruction. I believe He is speaking of personal insults and affronts. He is not speaking of permitting despots and tyrants to exploit others. I fervently believe we are called to defend the weak and helpless. A very hard truth: If something is worth dying for, it is also worth fighting for. Personal insults—and even a slap in the face—those are not worth fighting over. The real strength comes in turning the other cheek. Scripture does say that “rulers do not bear the sword for now reason.” It isn’t the actual ruler who is bearing the sword; it is his military. In the illustration here, it is the soldier. And he has a duty to wield the “sword” with wisdom and restraint. Yet he is still to wield it.
Tim Gustafson on June 21, 2016 at 10:43 am
Oh, and godlove, in response to your initial question: Is it right for a believer to be a soldier at all? There is so much written on that subject that I can’t deign to “answer” it here. It seems a fundamental question, and I have great friends who are brothers and sisters in the Lord and land firmly on opposite sides of that question. I deeply respect them both. It seems to me that on this question, we cannot answer flippantly or carelessly — and it might be okay to change our minds as we mature in the Lord.
godlove on June 21, 2016 at 12:18 pm
Thank you very much for your kind response, Tim, your reply has enlightened me. I understand what you mean perfectly.
Tom Felten on June 21, 2016 at 10:23 am
Good timing with this one, Tim. There is so much harsh language tossed about today in the name of debate or stating one’s opinions. How much better it is to embrace civil discussions—seeking to truly hear what the other person is saying and then speaking the truth in love.
Tim Gustafson on June 21, 2016 at 10:34 am
Tom, I find that in the vast majority of cases, my best option is to walk away—to turn the other cheek. But that is for me personally. Others (who demonstrate more wisdom and restraint than I) are quite adept at defusing situations and diffusing the anger of others. That is a gift! Crucial in all of this is the role of the Holy Spirit in each situation of our lives. What I DON’T want to be is a part of the heated debates that we see and hear relentlessly in our media and on our social media pages. It’s seldom helpful or God-honoring.
al061016 on June 22, 2016 at 12:45 am
Hi Tim, thank you for your post today and the other one on May 21. These are important biblical principles we really need in our everyday life.
Sometimes, we can be the voice of reason for ourselves or others. But other times, we may need another person, like Gamaliel, to be the voice of reason for us.
In both situations, we need the wisdom and courage from our Lord to do it well.
In order to be skillful, we need lots and lots of practice. I believe as far we are willing, God will help us to make progress in showing our respect and love to another person, and at the same time, make a reasoned argument, when we are in this kind of challenged situation.