"Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the Church, his body, and is Himself its Savior. Now as the Church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands." (ESV)
This was the assignment Steve gave me last night, to copy this passage, reflect on it and write my thoughts. I was not instructed to do so here, but I wanted to share it because it was quite the journey for me. And because I saw the verses in a little different light than before. When I was first given this assignment, I was angry. I bit my tongue but in my head was thinking, "Well, if I have to look at this you dang well better look at those next verses yourself, buddy!" I didn't say it. Thankfully. But he did it anyway. It meant a lot more to me that way too.
There's so much in this verse that I wasn't quite sure where to start unpacking it. Some of it can be so convicting and hard to look at too. The phrase that jumped out at me the most is the phrase "as to the Lord." I think that gives a reference point of sorts. It also instructs us in the manner in which we should submit. For instance, I may not always understand what God does or why He does it, but I work hard to still submit to His authority. Why? Because I have faith in Him that He knows what He's doing and that He's doing what's in my best interest. Like I said, I'm not perfect. And I don't always submit to God as I should. But I work hard to do so. I think part of what this verse is saying is that we a wives should work just as hard to submit to our husbands, whether or not DD is involved.
I feel that as Steve's (soon to be) wife this is how I should submit. I love him dearly. And I think he's pretty darn good, but he's also human just like me. Neither of us are perfect. And I have to admit, though I don't want to, that I don't always behave as though I believe what he's doing is for my best interest. Sometimes, I don't even behave as though I think he knows what he's doing. It makes me cringe to admit that.
I want to be a good wife. I want Steve and I to have a good life together. I also want us to rise above mediocrity. And I believe we can. But I also know that to do that, God has to be at the center. All that being said, I think this was a fantastic first assignment and I can't wait for us both to share our insights. I've read this passage so many times. I thought I knew it. I was amazed to learn/see yet another dimension in there.
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