Humility, the foundation of authority

Friday 23 April 2021

Humility, the foundation of authority

You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for I am. If therefore I have washed your feet, I, the Lord and the Master, you must also wash each other's feet, for I have set an example for you so that you will do as I have done to you. John 13.13-15

What we can sometimes observe is that spiritual leaders impose their own choices on their followers saying : "If you do not submit, you are lacking in humility, you are rebellious." They forget that the best way to bring humility into the lives of others is not to impose it, but to demonstrate it in practice.

This is how Jesus acted with his disciples ! He, the Lord, who had all rights over his disciples, did not give them a theoretical lesson on the importance of submission and humility, he did not come with his title of Messiah, of envoy. of God, of "great shepherd" of the sheep, to dominate and subdue them, but he took the place of the slave in charge of the washing of the feet and he himself washed their feet.

"Whether the lesson (in humility) is learned or not is not Abraham's primary concern, what matters to him is that the lesson is taught."

When we read the life story of Abraham in the book of Genesis, we learn that his shepherds quarreled with the shepherds of his nephew Lot. Seeing this, Abraham will propose to his nephew to separate from him : "Is not the whole country before you ? Separate yourself from me. If you go to the right, I will go to the left, and if you go to the left, I will go to the right." (Genesis 13.9)

This event underlines Abraham’s humility and ability to stand aside. Abraham could have told his nephew Lot which direction he should take. Everything authorized him. Indeed, his age, his responsibility as tutor, the cultural principles of that time would have allowed Abraham to impose his own choice on Lot. But Abraham did not do it, on the contrary he stood back, he let Lot make his choice.

Abraham is not only Lot's uncle and guardian, but he is also his "spiritual father." Abraham is a model and an example for Lot. By stepping aside, Abraham desires to give his nephew an example of humility. Whether the lesson is learned or not is not Abraham's primary concern, what matters to Abraham is that the lesson is taught. Abraham does not dictate to Lot how to behave, he does not teach him a theoretical lesson on the importance of humility, he sets him an example of humility.

What the Church needs are not leaders who ask their "interns" to wash their cars to instill humility in them, but "fathers" who generate "sons" by the example of humility which they themselves give.

Advice for today

Let us all learn from our "Father Abraham" and our Lord Jesus Christ that authority is based on humility.

Paul Calzada

Source (The Thought of the Day)