Beautiful Submission

Yep, I called that “s” word beautiful.  That’s how I see it.  Well…now anyway.  I’m finally starting to get it.  There were many years when that word would come up in a sermon like in Ephesians 5:24, “Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands,” I could feel my eyes rolling back in my head and the curtain would fall.  No need to listen to rest of what the minister was going to say, I wasn’t interested. 

It took a few years of growing in faith until I accepted that it was scripture from God and therefore true and valuable.  However, even after a few years into our marriage, I didn’t put it into practice.  It just didn’t seem practical, especially when my husband could be a total dope at times.  Seems fair, right?  I will submit to him when he shapes up and loves me like Christ loves the church (Ephesians 5:25), otherwise the deal is off. 

Oh my…thank you God for being so patient with me.  So how did I come to see beauty in submission instead of feeling it was an insult?  I finally got my sight fixed.  Instead of seeing these verses as a service to my husband alone, I realized it was my service to Christ.  Phil was not calling me to submit, Jesus was.  Why?  Because he loves me like crazy and has plans to use our marriage in awesome ways if it is built up correctly.  The more I get to know my Savior, the more I want to please and serve him.  And, yes, I have discovered through trial and error (lots of error) that His way is ALWAYS best, no exceptions.

We need to get things straight, Ladies.  If you think submission = weakness, inferiority, or conformity against better judgment you are sorely ignorant just like I was.  Would you use these same qualities to describe Jesus?  I don’t think so, probably just the opposite.  In fact, Jesus is our perfect example of submission.

Jesus is God and therefore equal to God yet he was called to submission to fulfill his role in God’s plan.  John 6:38 “For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me.”  Jesus submitted to his Father God, even unto death.   Matthew 26: 39, “And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, ‘My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.’” 

You can see that we as wives have been called to a very noble role indeed.  One that Jesus powerfully undertook willingly.  Yes, our husbands also model a role of Jesus through authority and leadership.  That is the role they have been called to in service.  We have separate but equal roles, Galatians 3:28 “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”  So get that sense of inferiority out of your head right now (haven’t you read about the Proverbs 31 woman?).

As wives we have the authority and responsibility to share our wisdom, and provide discernment and input to our husbands as they make decisions, but they have the task of making the final call.  They will not always choose right, but this does not relieve us of our calling from Christ.  No, we should never follow our husbands into sin; God is still our absolute authority.  However, we will not always agree on decisions made.  This is a great time to use the dynamic power of submission to influence our husbands toward Christ.  Pray for them, love them and serve them in a Christ-like fashion.  You will be amazed at the changes these alone can bring about.

Take back what the Enemy is trying to steal from you in your marriage relationship.  Don’t let the world twist the beauty that God has ordained.  Submission holds incredible power and has life changing abilities when put into proper practice.  It is a powerful position that God has placed his daughters in.  Claim it as yours and wield it with style and passion.

Ladies, do you ever wonder what your husband would be like without you?  Yes, he would probably survive but would he thrive like he does with you by his side?  Do you make him better with how you treat him?  Do the words you say to him cause him to want to lead better, to be more like Jesus for his family?  These are some tough questions but good measures for how we are performing our role.  They also show the potency of our gifts as helpers in marriage.  Are you a help to your husband, do you add honor to his life… or take it away?

God created man in such a way that he is better when woman is there by his side helping him as no one else can.  I encourage you to be that wife that proudly comes up beside your man and uses your God given gifts together to glorify your Creator.