DAILY TEXT, Saturday, August 2, 2025, Submit yourselves to the governing authorities (Rom. 13:1).

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Saturday, August 2, 2025

Submit yourselves to the higher authorities (Rom. 13:1).

We can learn a lot from Joseph and Mary. They were willing to obey higher authorities even when it was difficult to do so (Luke 2:1-6). For example, their obedience was put to the test when Mary was about nine months pregnant. It turned out that the Roman emperor Caesar Augustus ordered a census to be taken. To fulfill this decree, Joseph and Mary had to go to Bethlehem. That required traveling about 150 kilometers (93 miles) over mountainous terrain. The journey would not be easy, especially for Mary. Both of them may have been concerned about the well-being of both her and the baby. What if the time to give birth came right on the way? Mary was carrying the Messiah! Would that have been a valid reason to disobey the decree?

Joseph and Mary didn't use any of these concerns as an excuse to disobey the law. And Jehovah blessed them for their obedience: Mary arrived safely in Bethlehem, gave birth to a healthy baby boy, and even helped fulfill a Bible prophecy. (Micah 5:2) W23:10 8 § 9; 9 § 11, 12.

How could our obedience help other brothers?

If we obey higher authorities, we benefit both ourselves and others. How so? On the one hand, we are spared the punishment that the authorities impose on those who ignore the law (Rom. 13:4). And on the other hand, our individual obedience can influence how the authorities view Jehovah's Witnesses as a group.

That's what happened in Nigeria a few decades ago. A group of soldiers entered a Kingdom Hall during a meeting. They were looking for some people violently protesting taxes. But the officer in charge ordered the soldiers to leave. He told them: “Jehovah's Witnesses don't go around protesting against paying taxes.” Every time you obey the laws, you contribute to a better reputation for Jehovah's people. And one day that good reputation could protect your brothers and sisters. (Matt. 5:16)

How did a sister become “ready to obey” higher authorities?

Still, we may sometimes struggle to obey higher authorities. A sister named Joanna in the United States says candidly, “For me, obeying was extremely difficult because my family had suffered so much injustice at the hands of the authorities.” But Joanna resolved to change her way of thinking.

How did she do this? First, she stopped reading any social media posts that fueled her negative feelings toward those in authority. (Prov. 20:3) Second, she asked Jehovah to help her trust in him instead of waiting for a change in human governments. (Ps. 9:9, 10) And third, she began reading articles in our publications about neutrality. (John 17:16) Joanna says that respecting and obeying those in authority has given her “indescribable peace.”

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