Authority

My whole life I have treated authority as a tool to be wielded. Much like a wand with a magical power or a wrench I have considered it something to be owned and operated by the one who holds it.

Recently I was reading a bit talking about authority and it occurred to me, the authority is not to be owned or wielded by the recipient of authority. When you are placed in authority, you are placed under the authority you are given. When you are given authority, you are now first responsible to model what it looks like to be submissive to the authority and then an arbiter of the will of the authority.

At no point are you ever placed in a position of authority where you are no longer responsible to the authority you in, you are required to submit to the authority first and then advocate on behalf of the authority.

What authority are you under? How are you at submitting the authority you are under? How are you at advocating on behalf of the authority you are under?

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Today

One day I will go back to Israel. One day I will go back to Ireland. One day there will be a cure for cancer. One day I will replace my old tired Subaru. 

The issue with 'one day' is it never comes in time. Often times 'one day' never comes at all. 'One day' will even be a myth at times. It has not timeline. ‘one day’ is truly giving up on the present. ‘One day’ insinuates today is not enough. It insinuates tomorrow will have something I do not currently have. It insinuates I am waiting for something outside of my control. 'One day' meanssomething is coming I need, and I cannot continue forward without it.

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‘One day’ abdicates my responsibility for today. 

‘One day’ is an excuse.

‘One day’ is a lie…a lie I tell myself.

How often do you tell yourself this lie? What other lies do you tell yourself?

Today,

–JT

Authoritative Responsibility

Responsibility without authority is abuse. 

When I was responsible for the outcome or delivery of a final product; but, I did not have the authority to make major decisions or lead the project, I was being abused. I have realized, a small part of the reason in an unhealthy place, was because I did not perceive myself to have the authority to make decisions about the areas I was responsible for. Whether I did or I did not does not matter at this point. The reality of the situation is, I choose whether or not I have the authority to make decisions in areas I have responsibility. 

When you give someone responsibility, do you give them the authority to make the decisions? Are there places in your life you are responsible for but you are not taking the authority to make decisions?

Authoritatively and Responsibly,

–JT