"Wives should be submissive to their husbands as if to the Lord because the husband is head of his wife just as Christ is head of his body the church, as well as its savior" (Ephesians 5:22-23).

There's that dreaded word submission! Lest I be accused of being a traitor to the better half (depending on who is reading this, of course!) let's remember that even Christ submitted to his Father and the servants on earth are not greater than the Master. God is the author of peace, and there must be order in the world, from the family unit on up to the very universe itself. Actually, in verse 21, each is to submit to the other but, in the heavenly scheme of things, the wife is finally to submit to the Christian husband's decisions. It is hoped that the husband arrives at household decisions through prayer and deep concern for the welfare and salvation of his wife and his children. Amos 3:3 warns us: "Do two walk together unless they have agreed to do so?" I realize we don't know a person until we have lived with him/her, but it would help if we agree on the basics like church, children, ideas and ideals. The toothpaste we can deal with later.

There is no inferiority implied here, for both are equal before the Lord, and each is responsible to God and to each other. God has first claim, and each have first duty to God and then to each other. It is the gracious obedience of equal to equal that God asks, so that harmony may result. I'm old enough to remember when men were men and women were women, and we seemed content with that; we complemented each other. We even threw in a compliment once a month. But today we seem hell-bent on rearranging God's plan for mankind and womankind--and we seem to have forgotten to be kind, period.

Let's get back to God's plan and we'll all be happier.

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Patricia Erwin Nordman

Good word spoken here.

There was a time when men were men and women were women, but as you have pointed out, that isn't how it is now.

People knew their place, whether saved or not.

Nowadays, submission, even in the Church, is considered wrong and imposing.

However, God does not change, and He will not change, and what His word says it says.

So we had better get used to it.

God bless.

I remember when I got married, I had to say the despised word, obey. I hated it. I didn't want to say it, I wanted to leave it out. I have been raised by my parents to be an independent woman able to think for myself and make my own decisions. But the Pastor insisted that I had to say it. So I told my husband that we would be starting off our marriage with me lying to him and God. A couple years after we got married, I started going to church again. I gave my life to Christ in a way I hadn't before.

It's been almost ten years. but I still haven't been doing well in the submission area. It has been my constant prayer that I would have the humility to submit to my husband. I think it is getting easier, but my pride just hates it...time to go read Eph 5 again and renew my mind.

Thanks for the good word, Sister.

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Melissa

Good word gwammy...