Although Jesus was the creator and rightful ruler of the entire universe, he did not use his authority for his own gain at the expense of others. He taught us through word and example to understand hierarchy as involving service, dignity, uniqueness, and order.
Although not all of us hold an official position of leadership, we all have a sphere of authority – our own dominion. This includes any people we may have direct authority over, but it also includes our possessions, and perhaps most importantly, it includes ourselves.