Following and Influencing the Man (Pt 2)

Automated transcript of the sermon audio, generated with OpenAI Whisper (small.en). It has not been checked against the recording and may contain errors, especially in names and Scripture references.

You can take out your copy of God’s word at this point in terms of Ecclesiastes chapter 8. It’s interesting, I think that some of the people who have made the biggest impact in and on the world are not necessarily those who have had power and authority. Often it’s the ones who influence those. Whose names we don’t necessarily know, who that history doesn’t report.

doesn’t report often it’s the ones who are influencing even behind the scenes those in power and authority it’s those influencers who make the biggest impact I think that even if you aren’t in authority and most of you this morning you have no authority yes you probably will be in a position of having some authority someday I don’t really count authority over your cat as being a significant thing. We talked to Maggie about how she doesn’t get the boss anybody but the cat and you know that makes her feel good to some extent but really so you know that’s not a lot of authority and those of you who that’s the level of authority you’ve attained to thus far in your life that’s not really that much. But that being said even though you don’t have authority empower yet, you can still make a major difference in the lives of those who are your authorities.

Now, last week we started studying Solomon’s advice for following and influencing the man. Or, it could be the woman, but that’s just a way to say the authority. In other words, we examined the importance of obeying our authority and the possibility that we have of influencing their decisions. In verse 1 we saw the possibility of influencing authority and the reality of how rare and yet how valuable are those trusted counselors, those trusted advisors. Look at verse 1. Who is like the wise? Who knows the interpretation of a thing?

is where are those kind of people because they are great they are valuable look at the kind of influence they can have the end of verse one a man’s wisdom makes his face and I said I think that’s the king a man’s wisdom makes the face of the king shine and the hardness of his face is changed somebody who has wisdom and discernment and uses their influence in an appropriate way is able to change the face of the king from being hard to being happy. It is possible to have great influence on authority. And then in verses 2 through 8 we started to cover the responsibility of honoring authority. So verse 1 was the possibility of influencing authority.

Verses 2 through 8 is the responsibility of honoring authority. And specifically we we see four pieces of advice that Solomon gives us for how again to follow and influence those who have responsibility or authority over us. And we saw the first piece of advice alone in verse two last week, specifically the right behavior, keep the king’s command because of God’s oath to him. Those who are not the king, and by way of application then, it hits all of the places where we’re submitting responding to an authority, but specifically with the King, we have a very simple and clearly defined task. We are to obey. That is not fuzzy. That is not complex. That’s not necessarily always easy, but it’s not hard to figure out. That is our responsibility. The right behavior is to obey.

That is crystal clear. And the reason, or at least one of the reasons why we need to obey the the king is because God himself has put the king in place. It is God who establishes authority and again whether that authority is the king or some other government official. Whether that authority is a teacher or administration in your school. Whether that authority is a parent at your house. Whether that authority is an employee, an employer, or a boss at your workplace. God is the one who has established the structures and the systems of authority and those who not in authority are responsible to obey. That’s it. When you disregard or disobey your authority, you are ultimately disregarding and disobeying God who has put them in authority over you. It really is that closely connected. Don’t tell me about how you want to follow God and then bad mouth your parents. Don’t try to play that game. That doesn’t work. The authority is that God has established over you are the first place for you to practice submission and that ultimately

leads to your submission to God. So he has put them in place. You disobey, disregard, you criticize, you complain, you backtalk, you rebel against the authorities here on this earth, here on this planet, that is ultimately your expression and a disobedience and a complaining against and a criticism of God Himself. I understand and I said this last week, it is built into the very fabric of our flesh to rebel against and resist authority. I get that. There is a significant part of me that remains, that gets frustrated, and that kind of gets all tight on the inside and just wants to, who knows what, when it comes to other people telling me what to do at various times. I understand that. We see all the way back to Adam and Eve that people want to be their own authorities. They want to be their own authorities. It’s not that they dislike authority at all, it’s just that they want to be the authority so that they can do what they want. That’s the thing, we don’t like other people telling us what we’re

supposed to do. That’s a rejection of authority when those people have responsibility for us, all the different spheres of places that that could be. The problem is, when an authority figure tells you something to do, whether you want to or not doesn’t matter because it’s not up to you. And I’m going to try to say that in as many possible ways as I can today, who cares what you want when it comes to what an authority has said. You are responsible to submit and to obey and to honor them. And even though you might amuse your buddies for a while, when you stand up against your teachers or you make some smart, sarcastic quip about the president or you’re mocking your parents when they’re not there, you might amuse your buddies and win some kind of temporal approval from them for a little bit of time. But I promise you this, that God is not amused by that.

No matter how funny you think it is, no matter how cool your friends think you are, God is not amused by it. God does not approve of it. And in fact, there are all kinds of consequences when that’s how you live. Figuring out the right behavior is not a difficult task. Keep the king’s command. We are responsible to honor our authority. That’s the first piece of practical advice, is the right behavior. That moves us then to number two, the right attitude in verses three and four. Be not hasty to go from his presence, that is the king’s presence. Do not take your stand in an evil cause, for he, the king, the authority, does whatever he pleases.

For the word of the king is supreme, and who may say to him, what are you doing? Now, while it is true that our first and foremost obligation is to obey our authority, that does not mean that there is never a time to appeal a decision, or to make a suggestion, or to try to give input for a different approach. In fact, oftentimes those people who are in authority seek out advice and counsel and feedback and suggestions and opinions and perspective from other people. And a smart authority, even if the authority is not always chasing you down to find out what you think, a smart authority understands the value of listening to what other people have to say.

And that is exactly what we talked about in verse one, the possibility of influencing authority. That is an amazingly valuable thing to find a trusted, wise, discerning counselor who can give good input and good advice. So again, that’s a valuable thing and it is possible to influence our authority. However, too many, and I know at least who some of you are, who some of you are, too many take the opportunity to share their perspective as canceling their need to submit. It’s like as soon as the authority asks for your own thoughts, you assume that that also means you no longer need to do what they say. Well, that’s a tragic misunderstanding of the situation.

They’re given an opportunity to talk to their authority, to give input or feedback. And it seems like most people feel like that entitles them. That pulls them up to the level of their authority because they were invited to participate. And so they no longer need to submit and obey because, well, their opinion was asked. Here’s the point. Sharing your perspective. I have this in a talent from my notes. So if you are gonna write something down, this is kind of a, this is a key in my own mind to verses three and four especially. Sharing your perspective, even when it is requested, and even if you’re right, does not make it your decision.

Whoa. Sharing your perspective, giving your input, even if the authority person asks you for it, And even if in the history of the world, everybody else says your suggestion is right, and what the king wants is not right, even if he asks you for your opinion, and your opinion happens to be right, it still doesn’t make it your decision. It’s still the king’s decision, still up to your authority. You might have more information. You might have clearer insight. It’s not up to you. Your parents may come to you and seek your input. It’s still their choice. The authority is responsible for what happens. You are responsible to your authority.

I just wanna keep repeating that, like set that up in a loop and just keep saying that over and over and over again. The authority is responsible for the decision. You are responsible to the authority. And so, no doubt, especially when they’re asked, when you are asked, be wise, say what you think, and then shut up and let them make the choice. Ask our opinion and we’re ready to take over the world. And that’s, seems like the common attitude. Being permitted to play with the ball does not mean that if you don’t like how the game is going, you can take the authority’s ball and go off in a huff. Right, you know that illustration, I’m going to take my ball and go home.

They might let you see the ball, look at the ball, bounce the ball, shoot the ball, do whatever it is with the ball. It’s not your ball. You don’t get to take it and go off if you don’t like how the game is going, because it’s not yours. You might be invited to participate. Awesome, enjoy it, play well, play for keeps. But, it’s not your role. That’s the exact kind of attitude that Solomon addresses in verse three. Be not hasty to go from his presence. Now the context is clearly the king’s court, where it seems like the king has invited in some advisors, some sages perhaps, some counselors for input. When you’re in that situation, when you are asked, be wise and give good advice.

But if the king doesn’t agree with what you’ve said, don’t argue. Here is a good way to lose all of your influence. Start arguing with them. Don’t argue. If the king hears what you have to say and decides to go a different route, It is not smart for you to storm out of the room. Think about how stupid that response is. It shows a lack of perspective. You’ve given your input, your feedback, your suggestions. It’s rejected. So you just, however you do that, hasty to leave its presence, you just get up, storm out, or you give the cold treatment, or whatever it is. is however you would do it, it would manifest itself.

That shows a lack of perspective because you’re not the king, you’re not the authority. It shows a lack of patience because you’re unwilling to wait it out and see if maybe something would change later or if you could persuade them over time. It shows a lack of prudence. You have just left the best gig you might ever get. Specifically in this situation, You’re an advisor to the king.

You share what you think. He decides to go a different way. You go off in a hug. Not only have you lost the possibility of influencing the king today, you have likely lost your seat at the table tomorrow. Now I realize, well, what about second chances? The king doesn’t have to give a second chance. I suspect most of your parents, You know, as we talked about how this applies in other situations, I just say, most of your parents are gonna give you a second chance some day. Your teachers may or may not give you a second chance. Of course, you go off in a huff. You feel like you deserve another chance. And how unfair that is if they did not give you a second chance.

We’re entitled to that. Your boss may let you keep having a job, and your boss might not. You could lose your job, depending on how you react in a meeting or in one of these kinds of situations. Some misunderstand their position, their role, and their responsibility with such arrogance that not only do they leave in a hissy fit, but then they go out and they start planning a coup to take over the authority. Solomon says, do not think you’re stand in an evil cause. That’s the next part of the verse. And while that is true of any evil cause, the context is clearly one of conniving and scheming and conspiring toward some kind of political treason and mutiny.

And the thing is that misery loves company. There is no doubt about that. And people who feel like they have been mistreated and misunderstood. and unappreciated by their authority. Those kind of people love to get together and they become a choir of complainers. They might not ever say this out loud, but you realize what that’s like. Oh, you were rejected too? So was I. At least we can hold hands and think kumbaya as the choir of the rejected. We’re just so unappreciated and pathetic and no one listens to us. So let’s just be buddies and we’re our own little family. That happens all of the time. It isn’t too long before people who whine about authority start trying to plan how they can go against authority.

But that is not a good or safe position. not good because it’s wrong. Keep the King’s command. All the other verses in the Bible that talk about who needs to obey, it’s wrong. It’s also not safe to start planning and plotting against the King. Because unless all of your ducks are in a row, the King is still the King. Like if you are unsuccessful in that attempt to get the King out of power and authority, that’s like worse than it was before when he just rejected what you said, because now he’s going to punish you. And you are likely going to pay pretty significant penalty. And depending on how it happened, that could even result in the loss of life.

You reap what you sow. You sow rebellion. You will reap the consequences of that. There’s no doubt. Verse 4 builds the argument even higher, for the word of the king is supreme. and his word is at the top. He does whatever he pleases. The word of the king is supreme. His word is what carries weight. His word is what goes, and who may say to him, what are you doing?

You might be able to say that once before being invited by his guards out of the room. out of the room, you might be able to get away with that once. Others might take a more tactful approach, but even then, if you keep questioning your authority over and over and over again, you get a reputation for a non-submitter, a non-follower, and always going against authority kind of life, and you you will earn for yourself zero influence. It doesn’t work to question authority over and over again. In certain cases it can even be dangerous. And so our responsibility is to honor our authorities. The right behavior is obedience.

The right attitude is humility. That’s really what verses three and four are requiring enough. A proper understanding of our position. We’re not the king. It’s not up to us. Third, in verses five and six, in these four pieces of advice, we’ve seen the right behavior, we’ve seen the right attitude. Third, the right timing and approach, verses five and six. The wisest counsel given with the most humble attitude is still not always successful. Do you realize that? You can have great insight in the sermon. You can be right. You can do that with the right attitude, and that still doesn’t mean you are guaranteed to change the mind of your authority.

Timing and approach are very key. Verse 5, Whoever keeps a command will know no evil thing, and the wise heart will know the proper time and the just way. For there is a time and a way for everything, although man’s trouble lies heavy on him. So the first half of verse five kind of sets the stage for the second half of verse five, which I think provides the point. And the issue at hand is the right timing. But as important as timing is, and I’m going to park on that point when we get there, let me remind you again that the best timing will not overcome disobedience. You can choose the most appropriate and fitting time to make your plea or your request or give your suggestion an input, but if you have a pattern of disobedience already, the best timing is not going to overcome that.

Why are they going to care about what you’re saying now if up to this point you haven’t done anything that they’ve said? Whoever keeps a command will know no evil thing. That’s how verse five starts out. I think the pretty standard formula works like this. You plus obedience equals no punishment. Does that work at your house? You plus obedience equals not getting in trouble. Not getting grounded, not getting a spanking, if any of you are still in that situation. And obedience, as I have already tried to say, is the best platform for persuasion. You want to influence your parents, build a big old foundation of good following what they say.

You build that foundation, they’re more likely to trust you. You will have earned their trust, you will have opened your ears, though again, that is still not the same thing. is because you’ve been obedient, doesn’t mean you have equal authority with your parents. Get that in mind, but it does earn you the widest opportunity for influencing what they have to say. Whoever keeps a command will know no evil things. And the opposite of that is true as well, is it not? That whoever does not keep a command will likely know many unpleasant things. You will know evil things, namely discipline, punishment, penalties, consequences, if you don’t do what the authorities tell you to do.

So, remove obstacles to your opinion by your obedience. Then, next part of verse five, then the wise heart will know the proper time and the just way. This is all about how to maximize your influence with authorities. The wise heart considers and identifies windows of opportunity. They’ll know the proper time. And for some reason, I always think about the space shuttle when it comes to this kind of conversation. That’s maybe obtuse and weird, but that’s always what I think about because NASA spends a ridiculous amount of computer nerdery to figure out how to set the shuttle up.

shuttle up. And they spent a ludicrous amount of money on the technology and on the stuff to make it happen. And they used so much fuel to overcome gravity to get the shuttle out of the earth’s atmosphere. They used an amount of fuel that would probably power most small countries for like a year to make that happen. And yet does it not seem like if someone coughed the wrong way towards the launch pad that they postpone it for a week. I mean it’s like a leaf flew by. We got to put it off. You know if it’s overcast, if it’s a little too breezy, if the humidity isn’t right, the barometric pressure. I mean, it’s like almost anything can keep the shuttle from launching. For all of the stuff that they do, there is apparently a very small window of opportunity to launch the shuttle successfully. The same is true when it comes to trying to influence your authorities. Oh, you can try to make your plea anytime you want, but that doesn’t mean you’re guaranteed to be successful. Certain times are better than others. You have all

experienced this. You all react like this yourselves. It is not bright to begin your personal infomercial to your mom about why you should be allowed to do such and such a thing in the middle of her cooking dinner. For you, anyway, while she’s got boiling water and screaming kids and all whatever, you know, younger siblings.

Don’t launch into your infomercial. Your half hour may not be the opinion of the station infomercial about why you should get to do this or get, have this certain thing bought for you or whatever when she’s really busy. That’s not a a good time. Other things can distract. Your dad might be irritated. He maybe had a bad day or maybe something else is hard or maybe they’re just sleepy. I have wasted more persuasion on people who were too sleepy to pay attention to what I said than I cared to really say. Some of that happens on Sunday mornings right here about this time. I have wasted more like excellently crafted persuasive statements on sleepy people when they’re not necessarily in the position to be persuaded by it. But the point is that that happens. Some people have really big windows. There is always fresh air so to speak because their wide breakfast nook window is just wide open all the time and you You can talk to them about anything at any time.

Other people, you wonder how they’re still breathing because at best, their really teeny little window is maybe sometimes cracked open just a teeny amount. But the point is you have to be wise enough and discerning enough to know who you’re talking to about what it is that you want and identify the best time to talk to them. Timing is key. You don’t have to think about it. You don’t have to wait. You don’t have to be patient, and then don’t come whining and crying when they didn’t accept or were persuaded by what you wanted. Timing is key. So is approach. The wise part will know not only the right time, but the just way.

When you’re trying to influence authority, we’re not talking about lying or misrepresentation of the facts, We’re only saying half of the facts. I don’t know if you have ever done that when you’ve been trying to give permission to go to such and such an event, and you conveniently forget certain pieces of information that you know your parents would probably use in making their decision.

The just way does not include any kind of conniving or misrepresentation to get what you want. talking about righteous, humble, situationally appropriate approach. And I’m just going to give you a couple little hooks to hang your thoughts on. You’re not going to persuade someone by being annoying. How many times can I tell you the same thing in 30 seconds? That’s not a good way to be persuasive. Or to be antagonistic. Or to be pessimistic. I don’t think Eeyore accomplished a lot of persuading his authority. I know you’re probably not going to care about this. I know that you don’t want me to go, but I really want to.

And I know you don’t want me to. But can I go to this thing that’s not a helpful approach? approach, don’t approach arrogantly like, you have better let me do this. This is the right thing and everybody in the world thinks it’s the right thing. And if you don’t think it’s the right thing, then you are wrong. That says, well, not a particularly persuasive approach. Don’t come critically. You have made every other decision wrong towards me before. and I was going to give you the opportunity to make at least one right one before I die. So is it okay if I go to the smart? That’s just likely to not work. Being positive, I know it’s tough, perhaps for some of you, try being sweet, be winsome, being helpful.

you can actually, if you identify the proper time and the best approach, you can influence your authority. If you think about Joseph with Potiphar or even with the Pharaoh, that’s a guy who was a slave who earned the right and got his authorities to trust him, and ultimately they gave him authority. Because he earned that and showed himself trustworthy and wise. You think about Daniel with Nebuchadnezzar and the various people who were over him. You think about Esther with King Ahasuerus. I mean, what an amazing picture. Go read the book of Esther if you want to see somebody who identifies the right timing and the right approach.

When it could have cost her her life at that one point. Where she knows if she tries to come into his presence and was not invited, if he does not accept her, then she’s a goner. Like that’s making sure you’re prepared and you’re coming the right way. Solomon concludes, there is a time and a way for everything. Sometimes the right time is now, sometimes the right time is later, sometimes you need to forget about it and move on to something else. Sometimes there isn’t a good time to talk about getting your nose pierced, depending on who you’re talking to. I mean I came home with a magnetic earring one time to my house and it was not pretty and I hadn’t actually done anything wrong. So there there are certain things that perhaps you should you should not die on that hill. With all that said it still is not easy. You can obey with a happy heart. You can give the best and wisest counsel.

You can sweeten your speech like honey. You can make it smooth as oil. And it still isn’t guaranteed to work. And I know that some of you will put a lot of time and effort into identifying the right time and the right approach. And you’ll make your plea. And it will not be accepted. What’s your responsibility at that point? To submit. I know that can be hard. That’s not easy. In fact, look at the end of verse 6, man’s trouble lies heavy on him. Solomon understood this does not always work out like we want it to. The king may not listen. Even though you’ve told him he’s headed for trouble and he’s taken you and the rest of the people with him, he still might not listen.

The king might not lighten up even though you have appealed his discipline. Authorities don’t always make it easy. That is a fact of life under the brutal son that authorities don’t always make it easy make your appeal And then you’re responsible still to submit And what’s very key is this fourth piece of advice in verse 7 and 8. That’s the right perspective When things are difficult even when dealing with authorities that are difficult the right perspective It’s so crucial look at verse 7 for he does not know what is to be or who can tell him how it will be Power to retain the spirit for power over the day of death There is no discharge from war nor will wickedness deliver those who are given to it And at first glance maybe you’re like how in the world does that connect to this whole?

Idea of authority and following authority and influencing authority I don’t think he’s moved on to a new subject largely because in verse 9 I think that’s the final bookend when man has power over man to his hurt We’re talking about a context where there is an authority named of the king It makes it difficult for those people who follow him So what are verses 7 and 8 doing? I think that they’re providing for us some perspective some reminder that for the authority and however he acts and for you submitting to the the authority ultimately, neither one of you are in control. The authority is not in ultimate control, and neither are you. Life is bigger. This is one of the reasons I like to get on an airplane, you know, when I’m traveling various places, and just look down and realize, man, there’s a lot, a lot of stuff going on here. Life is bigger than you and your authority. It doesn’t always seem like that. Well that is very much the case. Though one has authority and another doesn’t, neither one is in ultimate control.

God alone has the sovereignty. The word of the King has relative authority at best since even he does not know what is to be for who can tell him how it’s going to be. You can get the best and wisest counsel, you can make the best and wisest decision and you might die ten minutes later or at least tomorrow or ten years from now you just have no power over certain things. Not even the wisest counselor, not the wisest king can guarantee what’s going to happen. And the thing is, if the king makes a call that you don’t like, if the authority makes a decision that doesn’t sit with you that well, neither of you knows how short or how short it might be until that decision is overturned by his death or your death. And then neither one of you are going to care anymore. So the perspective is beneficial here in particular four things are out of our control no man has power to retain the spirit there is a time to be born and the time to die I saw that in Ecclesiastes chapter 3 good and bad decisions good and bad authorities are both overruled by death you just can’t

keep on living as long as you want you don’t have power to retain the spirit to hold on to that second no man has power over the day of death not only can you just keep on living? You’re not in control of when you’re not going to be living anymore.

You have no control over the day of death. You realize you might be free from a hard and heavy authority sooner than you think. Third, there’s no discharge from war. Again, there’s time for peace. There’s time for war. That is one of the places where people die. I mean, all kinds of negative things happen during time of war and there have been wars for a long period of time. God is in charge of those as well. There’s no escape from that. And then wickedness won’t deliver those who are given to it. You can’t get out of submitting to authority and submitting to difficult authorities by being wicked and trying to overcome them bad. We already started away in the passage that you’ll be punished by consequences for that. But the key here is in this right perspective that in our work of following and influencing authority we must not ever forget that God is the one who is in control. He is in control of who is an authority and how that person uses their authority and how long they remain in that position. He is in control of whether you are persuasive or not. He’s

in control of all those things. And even though verses 7 and 8 don’t necessarily paint a cheery picture of that perspective. I think next week we’re going to come back and look a little bit more at some of the positive things about knowing that God is in control even when we submit to difficult authority. The positive perspective of being able to see light that way. Well Well lastly, verse nine is the probability of being hurt by authority. We saw the possibility of influencing authority, we saw a responsibility to honor authority, and this is the possibility of being hurt by authority. Verse nine, all this I observed while flying my heart to all that is done unto the sun when man had power over man to its hurt.

I think this is kind of the last, the final bookend on this passage. This is something that Solomon saw and experienced. He says, I observed it. It’s something he gave his full attention to while applying his heart, for all that is done unto the Son that he sought of when men get authority. They often use it in a way that hurts those who are under them. Man had power over his man to his earth.

I said this last week, there are no perfect authorities except for God. There are no perfect authorities. No one has all wisdom. Not even Solomon had that. No one is free from selfishness or blindness. The best, kindest, wisest authorities still may end up hurting people who are under them even if that’s unintentionally. That is life under the sun. This is, this whole passage, chapter eight is in the context of hurtful authority and that doesn’t change that we have a very simple responsibility which is still to do very simply obey. And we get all excited and in a hump when our authority is not right or when they don’t respond the right way. You know what? You are not their judge. God is their judge. The authority is responsible to God. You are responsible to your authority to do what they say, even when they’re not right and even when they cause you harm. How differently, you know, our society would be if we got that, even just a little bit. You may have the opportunity to make an feel. You may have opportunity to share your feedback and your suggestions. You

should do that as wisely, as humbly, and as persuasively as possible. God may use you to make world-changing influence, or at least household-changing influence, and everywhere in between. God may use you to make significant impact on the world by your influence of authority and you know what he might not and he still expects that you submit an honor and respect those he has put in position of authority over you it may be tough it may be hard and hurtful that doesn’t mean that you should give up that means that you need to look beyond the Sun because under the Sun it can be pretty brutal but beyond the Sun we have hope God. Just a couple things as we finish up this morning. Fearing the King prepares us to fear God. That’s why I said at the beginning that your attitude towards authority is an insight into what you think about God and his authority. The vice versa is also true that as you fear God more and better so you will fear the the authorities he’s put in place over you more and better and respectfully.

But the two things are connected, fear of God and fear of authority that is submitting to God and submitting to our authorities. Don’t try to do one without the other. They’re intended to go together. I think one of the reasons some of you are so miserable is because you have set yourself in direct opposition to God by setting yourself in direct opposition to an authority. Don’t look for God’s blessing on your life if you are unsubmissive to the structures and systems and people he has put in your life to direct it how he wants. You’re going to be miserable if you are ultimately rejecting God by rejecting your authorities.

Amazing joy there. Let’s talk a little bit more about that next week’s enjoy. Father, do help us. This goes against the sin that remains. It goes against our desire to be in control. It goes against our desire to be the ones in authority. And then you promise great blessing and joy to those who submit. We call them to help us to learn from the wisdom that’s here, help us to submit an honor and respect and obey those who can over us, help us to be wise and to influence them with the right timing and the right approach. All while understanding that we do this for your sake, ultimately not even for ours. For your great glory, that’s how we want to live our lives here. I pray that we thank you and help you.

Amazing joy there. Let’s talk a little bit more about that next week’s enjoy. Father, do help us. This goes against the sin that remains. It goes against our desire to be in control. It goes against our desire to be the ones in authority. And then you promise great blessing and joy to those who submit. We call them to help us to learn from the wisdom that’s here, help us to submit an honor and respect and obey those who can over us, help us to be wise and to influence them with the right timing and the right approach. All while understanding that we do this for your sake, ultimately not even for ours. For your great glory, that’s how we want to live our lives here.