Why We Respect Authority
Nobody likes being told what to do.
Both kids and adults tend to push back when someone tells us something we don’t want to hear. We question rules we don’t like and look for ways around expectations that feel unfair. Peter doesn’t ignore that tension. Instead, he steps right into it. But his reason for respecting authority has nothing to do with whether the people in charge deserve it.
For Christians, how we respond to authority is part of how we follow Jesus.
Let’s look at what Peter says.
Bible Focus
1 Peter 2:13–17 (ESV)
“Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.”
Devotional Thoughts
Peter’s command is very direct: respect the authorities God has placed over you. For his original readers, that meant submitting to the Roman government, including an emperor who was no friend to Christians. Peter doesn’t tell them to do it because their leaders deserve it. He tells them to do it for the Lord’s sake.
That changes everything. Our response to authority isn’t just about following rules. It’s part of how we live out our faith in front of a watching world.
Peter also calls believers free people. Because of Jesus, we are no longer slaves to sin. But he is quick to say that freedom isn’t a license to do whatever we want. We are free to live as servants of God. Real freedom gives us the ability to choose what is right, even when it’s not what we feel like doing.
He closes with four short commands worth reading slowly: honor everyone, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the emperor. That list moves from the widest circle to the most specific. Everyone deserves honor. Fellow believers deserve love. God deserves our reverence. And even the emperor deserves respect (parents: this conversation changes if those in leadership ask us to sin, but generally, respecting authority can be a way of living as a light in a dark world).
That is worth sitting with as a family. How we talk about our teachers when they’re not around, how we respond when a coach makes a call we don’t like, how we treat a leader we disagree with. Following Jesus should show up in those ordinary moments too.
Family Questions
These questions are meant to start a real conversation. Feel free to reword them for younger kids or let older ones sit with the harder ones a little longer.
Peter says we should respect authority for the Lord’s sake. What do you think that means? How is that different from just following rules?
Who is someone in authority that you sometimes find difficult to respect? What would honoring them look like?
Peter says Christians are free. What are some things Jesus has set us free from? How should that change the way we live?
Family Prayer
Father, thank You for giving us freedom through Jesus. Help us honor the people You have placed in positions of authority and respond with humility when we don’t agree with them. Help us use our freedom to serve You instead of simply doing whatever we want. Teach our family to honor everyone, love other believers, and fear You above all. In Jesus’ name, amen.
This Week’s Challenge
Think of one person in authority who is difficult to respect. Pray for that person together as a family and look for one specific way to show them honor this week.
Explore More 1 Peter Devotions
Living Like You Belong | 1 Peter 2:9–12 | 5-Minute Family Devotions
Jesus is the Cornerstone | 1 Peter 2:4–8 | 5-Minute Family Devotions
Hungry for More | 1 Peter 2:1–3 | 5-Minute Family Devotions
Family Discipleship Recommendations
Looking for more ways to disciple your family? Explore Bible studies, devotionals, and practical tools here: Family Resources at Discipleship Cliff
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