Submission Is Not a Bad Thing

Pictured to the right is a Yield sign.

If you drive, you probably know this sign pretty well.  (In fact, one is located on the intersection next to my house.)  It means you must yield to oncoming traffic. The traffic on the other road has the right of way, so you must let them go first.

A yield sign is intended for our safety.  The traffic on the other road cannot safely stop to let oncoming traffic merge.  Therefore, we must stop and only merge into a new lane when it is safe to do so.  Ignoring a yield sign could earn you a ticket (at the least) or cause a major accident (at the worst).

Safe drivers honor yield signs.  It makes sure traffic flows smoothly and you do not put others in unnecessary danger.  We voluntarily submit to on-coming traffic for the good of everyone involved.  No one questions a yield sign.

Yet, we often question why we should submit in marriage.

Submission has gotten a lot of publicity lately, especially with the release of the movie 50 Shades of Grey.  I must tell you that the submission depicted in that movie is NOT HEALTHY or MORAL.  However, Biblical submission is exactly what God intended.

So what is Biblical submission?  It's when a woman VOLUNTARILY submits to the spiritual authority of her husband.  It's not done through forced coercion. It's not an act of slavery.  It does not involve domination.  Instead, it means that an equal partner in the marriage - in this case the woman - voluntarily agrees to serve her husband for the betterment of the relationship.

Why would she do this?  One, because scripture says so.  Ephesians 5:22-24 tells us that women should submit to their husbands.  Now, this does not mean women are inferior or must submit to all men.  It is very specific.  They must submit ONLY to their husband, whom they voluntarily chose.  Two, submitting to a husband means submitting to Christ.  As believers, we must ALL submit to Christ's authority in our lives, including following Scripture.  Three, being married means being a servant and a servant submits to others.  A marriage built on service to one another will be a marriage that lasts the test of time.

It's like seeing a yield sign.  We know it's best for our long-term health.  Submit, in marriage, is best for the long-term health of the relationship.

And that is worth submitting for.

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