Leading With Authority And Humility

Do we grasp for authority out of ambition or humility?

"After he had finished all his sayings in the hearing of the people, he entered Capernaum. Now a centurion had a servant who was sick and at the point of death, who was highly valued by him. When the centurion heard about Jesus, he sent to him elders of the Jews, asking him to come and heal his servant. And when they came to Jesus, they pleaded with him earnestly, saying, “He is worthy to have you do this for him, for he loves our nation, and he is the one who built us our synagogue.” And Jesus went with them. When he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends, saying to him, “Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof. Therefore I did not presume to come to you. But say the word, and let my servant be healed. For I too am a man set under authority, with soldiers under me: and I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” When Jesus heard these things, he marveled at him, and turning to the crowd that followed him, said, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.” And when those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the servant well." —Luke 7:1-10

Perhaps the surprising statement of Jesus at the end of this familiar story warrants a closer look at the centurion’s faith.

The first striking characteristic is his humility. Jews were not normally fans of Romans, yet these Jewish elders testify that this man is most worthy, pleading with Jesus earnestly to give him a miracle. By contrast, the centurion views himself as unworthy to even have Jesus come to his house. He is humble, not insecure. Our modern culture might lead us to believe that humility is the opposite of pride when, in fact, it is self-loathing. Humility is having an accurate view of yourself – no better and no worse than reality.

The second characteristic is his understanding of authority. The centurion describes himself as “a man set under authority” meaning he derives authority only by being under proper authority himself. If he were to order someone to do something contrary to the direction of his superiors, he would be on his own with no real authority. Properly applied, however, the centurion’s authority follows the hierarchy all the way to Caesar in the same way that Jesus – though one with the Father – submitted to his Father’s authority and will. The centurion recognized that to be in authority he must be under authority.

Jesus lived out how to combine humility and authority. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped. (Philippians 2:5-6)

But do we miss Christ’s example and grasp for authority out of ambition rather than humility? The disciples (or their parents on their behalf) vied for ruling positions in Christ’s future kingdom.  In one such conversation, Jesus said, “You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:42-45)

The Gentile centurion seized this amazing opportunity to ask, not for himself or his family, but for his servant.  And he demonstrated great humility by believing in the authority of the one he had heard about but never seen to just speak and it would be done. 

The account ends with Jesus marveling at the centurion’s faith. (Can you imagine if Jesus marveled at your faith?) We are not told exactly why, but here is one possibility. The people most attracted to Jesus, and vice versa, were those considered most unworthy by culture – usually summed up as tax collectors and sinners. Yet, Jesus frequently rebuked those that culture called worthy (and who believed it of themselves) – primarily the Pharisees and religious leaders. 

But in the centurion, Jesus encountered someone found worthy by his culture who had maintained an accurate view (humility) about himself coupled with an outsized view of the authority of Jesus to heal what he lacked (faith). Regardless of our position or who the world says we are, may we as believers in Christ be a model that reflects this truth: that we are members of the most sought-after group ever assembled (those who will receive eternal life) where the only requirement for membership is to know yourself to be completely unqualified and desperately in need of the forgiveness offered freely in Christ. And to have faith that it will be so.

Dave Stadler is Chaplain to the Maryland General Assembly and the State Capitol Minister of Ministry to State, Maryland.