Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you. Pray for us, for we are sure that we have a clear conscience, desiring to act honorably in all things.
Hebrews 13:17-18
These words of the author of Hebrews make many of us cringe. Past hurts from leadership (coaches, teachers, bosses, church leaders, spouses, etc.) coupled with a growing distrust of organizations, the promises that they make, and the people who lead them make submission to leadership an uncomfortable subject in the very least.
The first thing we must understand about this passage is that this passage, like the others in the Bible, are God’s words. We must heed them. The second thing that we must understand is what God is trying to say through these words.
Because of experiences with abuses of power, we might read the words of Hebrews 13:17-18 and hear, “do whatever leadership tell you to do no matter the request.” This is not the case.
The foundation for urging believers to heed the instructions of leadership is the understanding that this leadership is keenly aware of their accountability to the Lord in regard to how they care for people.* This care for people is not just physical (such as caring for hunger, thirst, housing, and ensuring that they are regularly present in a building for church gatherings). It’s a care of the inmost being of a person.* It refers to their spiritual care.*
The care of these leaders must reflect the Gospel, as the Gospel of Jesus Christ serves as the source of their authority.* Without alignment to Christ and His Gospel, their authority ends. These leaders, according to the Greek language used, must keep watch as someone who watches all night, sacrificing their sleep for the best interests of those under their care.* It’s the same intentful watching that Jesus commands us to use in looking out for His return (Mark 13:33).* This is a weighty responsibility of care for the spirit; and it comes with accountability in heaven.
This is the leadership that God calls for, and it sometimes feels rare. Knowing that leadership is sometimes hard to follow, God uses language in the Greek that indicates a choice.* It’s a choice to trust leadership that, as used in other New Testament letters, implies a confidence in leadership that is based in one’s faith in God.*
This leadership, if self-aware and submitted to God, must rely on the prayers of the people that they lead. As posture of the writer of Hebrews demonstrates in his words, “pray for us,” leadership must know that they are not perfect and need support. Those being lead must understand this as well.
Submission to leadership has many benefits, including protection from being lead astray by false teachings.* Leadership and the opportunity to submit to it are a gift from God.
Our part is two fold: 1) don’t make it hard on leaders but pray for them,* and 2) realize that we are all leaders accountable to God.
We can put our confidence in Godly leadership when we trust God to keep them accountable. Trust issues with leadership are often tied to trust issues with God. The trust that God invites us to involves total reliance on Him rather than a blind following of imperfect people. Can we trust God?
Today, take a step.
Maybe today the one step God wants you to take is to allow Him to heal your heart from past leadership abuses. Perhaps today God wants you to help you see leaders as they are: humans in need of prayer. Maybe today God wants you to allow Him to examine your heart in your place of leadership (work, family, church, etc).
Whatever the step, ask God to direct it. Take a moment to take that step. Invite Him to speak. He will.
Life is a long road. Walk it with Jesus.
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*Stedman, R. C. (1992). Hebrews (Heb 13:7–19). IVP Academic.
Grindheim, S. (2023). The Letter to the Hebrews (D. A. Carson, Ed.; pp. 693–696). William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.
France, R. T. (2006). Hebrews. In T. Longman III & D. E. Garland (Eds.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Hebrews–Revelation (Revised Edition) (Vol. 13, pp. 191–192). Zondervan.
Guthrie, G. (1998). Hebrews (p. 441–442). Zondervan Publishing House.