I have not meet many people who like to be told what to do. Maybe it is just our nature to be independent and bull headed. Or maybe that’s just me. When you come across a bold statement such as “Obey your spiritual leaders and recognize their authority...” how do you react or respond.  Do you just move on past it, and find the more uplifting verse to highlight and meditate on? Do you bristle up, and have a internal dialogue about the broken world we live in, the latest news story of a church leader who has been accused or fallen from grace? For some of us, this might be easier since we are actually under spiritual leaders who are full of integrity and live out what they preach. I don’t know your circumstance, but here are a few interesting thoughts I have had. 

The context in which the Hebrew author was writing was to church members, fellow believers. If that is you, then this Scripture applies...but it applies in the broader context of the Bible as well. We have a clear picture from all of the Bible what spiritual leadership should look like, and we have Jesus words that are crystal clear guiding leaders toward servant leadership. 

Jesus condemned such autocratic rule by leaders declaring "You know that those who are supposed to rule over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. But it shall not be so among you: but whoever would be great among you must be your servant. See Mark 10:42-45

Jesus makes this clear for us as spiritual leaders, that we must serve. Part of this to be fulfilled is we live out Hebrews 13:17 and “make their work a pleasure and not a heavy burden.”  Part of our job as a leader is to serve our leaders well. Part of our leaders job is to do the same, and serve us well by watching over our soul for they will give an account to God one day. But what if your situation may not be the best, maybe your leader isn’t a model of Jesus words, what should you do? You can model it...you can lead up, being the change you desire to see yourself. I love the full quote from Gandhi: 

“We but mirror the world. All the tendencies present in the outer world are to be found in the world of our body. If we could change ourselves, the tendencies in the world would also change. As a man changes his own nature, so does the attitude of the world change towards him. This is the divine mystery supreme. A wonderful thing it is and the source of our happiness. We need not wait to see what others do.” – Mahatma Gandhi

Love God. Love Others. We need not wait to see what others do, we can choose to lead like Jesus, and serve.