4 Letter Word: Submission

Submission is a dirty word. No one wants to talk about submitting to someone. This is true in every facet of life.

·         Children want to submit to their parents.

·         Adults want to submit to their employers.

·         Mixed Martial Artists want to submit to their opponents.

·         Human beings want to submit to their Creator.

You see, no one wants to submit to someone. I guess the place I see this the most is in marriage. The wife doesn’t want to submit to her husband and the husband is too mannish to submit to any woman, let alone his wife.  

Ephesians 5:21-22, 25

Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her

I think the reason that spouses have a difficult time with submission is because they fail to see why we submit: we submit out of reverence for Jesus. Submitting to your spouse is not so much about submitting to them as it is submitting to Christ. Plus, we should notice that submission is an equal obligation. We submit to one another.

Wife, submit yourself to your husband as you do to Jesus. I know, I know! Ladies, this verse has been drilled into you and you are sick and tired of hearing it (me too)! This doesn’t mean your husband is always right, good or even gracious. You don’t love your husband because he deserves it, because he doesn’t (trust me, I am one). You don’t submit to your husband because he is the best listener, because he’s probably not. You love and submit to your husband, because you love Jesus more than anything else.

Husband, love your wife, just as Jesus loved the church and died for her. Remember Paul says, “Submit to one another,” therefore husbands should not say, “Wives are supposed to submit and husbands are supposed to love!” This is not Paul’s intention. When I read this passage my initial response is, “Man, the wives are let off easy!” But then I man-up and try to practice this in my own marriage. We don’t love our wives because they deserve it or because they are always in a good mood or because they wake up drop dead gorgeous (mine does, but I realize yours probably doesn’t). We love our wives because we recognize all that Christ has done for us, therefore the least we can do is show our wives love, grace and patience.

Guys: How can you love/submit to your wife today?

Gals: How can you love/submit to your husband today?

Challenge: This week, submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Grace & Peace,

Marc