God has given you authority over your children. I’m not thinking about this in terms of discipline, though if you are in a battle with a toddler or a teenager it can be helpful to remember who God put in charge and who should act as an adult next time you feel tempted to throw something across the room. Rather I want to think about the spiritual implications of us having authority. Jonah was able to preach to the Ninevites because he had been sent. The kings of Israel had authority over the land of Israel and the priests of Israel were given authority over the people’s lives. Abraham was able to intercede for Sodom because his family were there. Authority has almost become a dirty word in modern day families. We are happy to think about responsibilities in the family, but the word authority brings to mind an authoritarian style of parenting where parents clamp down on their children’s every move and barely let them breathe or eat without permission. Let’s not confuse an abuse of aut