We often
overlook the importance of submission. We think--the world wants us to
think--that it is a powerless, perhaps even cowardly act, a surrendering
of our self-worth. Nothing could be further from the truth. The
perfect example of submission is Jesus Christ. Was His a powerless
life? Paul constantly encourages us to be submissive to each other in
the bonds of Christ--to follow his example as he imitated the life of
His Savior. Was his a powerless life? We are told to submit to the
Holy Spirit who indwells us. And how did our Lord announce to His
disciples that the Holy Spirit was coming? "And you will receive power,
after the Holy Spirit has come upon you."
The best illustration, in my opinion, of the necessity of submission is to see it as the relationship between a pillar and the roof it is holding up. Of what value is the ceiling if the pillar--the submission--is removed? It becomes a very poor imitation of a ceiling does it not? Do you see? It is submission that empowers others to be all that God intends for them to be. They cannot possibly do so without the power of submission to uphold them. The husband cannot possibly be what God intends for him to be as believer and husband without the wife's submission. The Christian leader cannot possibly be all God intends for him to be without the submission of those God has called to be his pillars. Our fellow Christian friends and family members cannot be all that God has called them to be unless we are the pillars they need, the strength they need to fulfill their calling. God has chosen us and placed us as His pillars exactly where we are needed in order for His church to be the power in the world He desires it to be--the salt and light of the world, His witnesses.
So you think submission is a call to surrender your self-worth, do you? You will never begin to be all that God intends for you to be until you empower others by submitting to their needs. Wish that your friends, husband, wife, teacher, pastor, mom, dad, were more like Christ intends for them to be? The trouble may very well be not the tilting of the ceiling but the weakness of the pillar. You, too, will never begin to all that God intends for you to be until you are empowered by those God has placed in your life as your pillars. Submission is not powerless nor is it a loss of self-worth. It is the only way to obtain both spiritual power and a life of value and worth.
The best illustration, in my opinion, of the necessity of submission is to see it as the relationship between a pillar and the roof it is holding up. Of what value is the ceiling if the pillar--the submission--is removed? It becomes a very poor imitation of a ceiling does it not? Do you see? It is submission that empowers others to be all that God intends for them to be. They cannot possibly do so without the power of submission to uphold them. The husband cannot possibly be what God intends for him to be as believer and husband without the wife's submission. The Christian leader cannot possibly be all God intends for him to be without the submission of those God has called to be his pillars. Our fellow Christian friends and family members cannot be all that God has called them to be unless we are the pillars they need, the strength they need to fulfill their calling. God has chosen us and placed us as His pillars exactly where we are needed in order for His church to be the power in the world He desires it to be--the salt and light of the world, His witnesses.
So you think submission is a call to surrender your self-worth, do you? You will never begin to be all that God intends for you to be until you empower others by submitting to their needs. Wish that your friends, husband, wife, teacher, pastor, mom, dad, were more like Christ intends for them to be? The trouble may very well be not the tilting of the ceiling but the weakness of the pillar. You, too, will never begin to all that God intends for you to be until you are empowered by those God has placed in your life as your pillars. Submission is not powerless nor is it a loss of self-worth. It is the only way to obtain both spiritual power and a life of value and worth.
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