Authority vested in you peace officers!

Do you remember when you were first sworn into your position as a law enforcement officer? You finish the hard work of the training academy, attend graduation and take your oath of office in front of your friends and family. At the conclusion of the event you think, “I made it.” Most our swearing in ceremonies are similar as we promise to complete our duties by protecting the US Constitution, the State Constitution, and our local city and county laws. In the moment you were sworn in you received an incredible amount of power and responsibility. Have you ever contemplated from where or from whom did you receive your powers?

Most of us would agree that our powers are derived from the government bodies’ that swore us in – the city, county, state, or federal government agency. Some of us would argue that our powers are derived from the people we serve. In a Lockean type philosophy we would say our powers are imbued as part of a contractual agreement between the citizens and the government that employs us. However scripture teaches that our power comes from a much higher authority.

Romans chapter 13, verses 1-7, instructs that all governments are ordained or appointed by God as His minister for good. The responsibility of government is to be His minister for the good of the citizens and to avenge wrath on those who practice evil. Citizens are instructed to be subject to the ruling authority. So as not to fear the government they are to do “what is good” to receive praise from the authority. If a citizen resists the authority he or she is resisting God Himself bringing judgment on them self.

My fellow law enforcement officers your authority is from God who ordained the government body that employs you. You are a minister of God to do His work in this world both for encouraging good and holding those who do evil accountable.

When you contemplate the awesome power you have as a law enforcement officer, contemplate the power of the One who has called you to your duties. We can respond to this truth in two diametrically opposing ways. The wrong way to respond is to puff up our chests in self proclaiming pride and act as if we are God and proclaim judgment on all the “dirt bags” we arrest and book into jail. The wrong way to respond is to use the authority granted us by God and use it as a license to fabricate evidence, utter false testimony, or use the power of the pen (report writing) to justify any questionable actions we might have done in order to close the case and make an arrest.

The correct way to respond to the awesome power given us by God is to humble ourselves before Almighty God (James 4:6-10). We must bow before Him and remember that while our profession puts us in the position of doing His work, we are also the subjects of the Chapter 13 text instructing us as citizens to be subject to the authorities. We are responsible for following directives in chapter 13. The fullfillment of following the law (God's law) is found in Romans 13:8, "Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law." Imagine if people were to truly love each, worried about serving each others needs and not hurting each other - we would be out of work.

My fellow law enforcement officers while our power is from God, we are subject to God and His commands – fulfill the law by loving one another. This week focus on seeing everyone you contact on the street through the eyes of Jesus. Then ask yourself, "Can I love them?"

We will examine this some more in the next post. Until then blessings and stay safe.