Governing Authorities, God's Servants?

The governing authorities.  Just mere mention of the words ‘politician,’ or ‘government,’ these days results in high blood pressure, red faces, grinding teeth, and simmering anger. And folks tend to ask, “Can things get any worse?” In Paul's day, the leader of the empire was Nero! So, how can he, here in Romans, describe the governing authorities as "God's servants"?