Owning My Authority

Sarah Bessey writing out my heart once again:   

"I was reminded of how often people remarked on Jesus’ teaching as one of authority. “We’ve never heard anyone speak or teach like this!” they would say. I highly doubt that first century Palestine was lacking in authoritative men and leaders: so what was the difference with the authority of Jesus? His authority did not derive from the honour of men or from his finely tuned rhetoric or subversive theology, always available in abundance.

No, it was Holy Spirit authority, wasn’t it? It was authority rooted in the love and power of our Abba, not in any other source. It was authority, not for flaunting or power, it was authority for servanthood, for the purpose of giving life and freedom, for the purpose of invitation to God’s way of life, and his Kingdom ways.

So I may not have much authority in my own self, sure. I may not have much authority in the eyes of the world or even the Church, particularly the dwellers of The Table. I may not have authority of rhetoric or debate, arguments or prose, PhDs piled behind my name alongside womens’ studies or biblical literature notations. Even if I get slammed by critics, even if I’m wrong, even if, even worse, no one reads it ever, even if: I want to be faithful. I want to be faithful to the work God has given me to do.

Yet, I have authority, but it’s not my own. it’s the authority of the Holy Spirit, isn’t it? It’s a different authority than what we think: it’s the authority of Love. It’s the authority of grace. It’s the authority of being a daughter of the King. It’s the authority of living loved, walking close to the Father, knowing that when I take a step or make a move, it’s the authority of paying attention to the Voice in my ear, saying this is the way, walk in it, and remaining faithful to that Voice. It’s the authority of Narnia, perhaps, therefore a true privilege, who knows."