Submission to one another

Sorry I haven't posted in a while. It's been a little crazy in my life, and that coupled with not being lead by the Spirit, it can be difficult to write.

However, today, I was reading Ephesians. The verse that caught my attention was in Ephesians 5:21. It reads, "and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ." I know you may not know me personally, but trust me, if you did, you would know this is a difficult idea for me to digest. I come from a family that is used to being heard and acknowledged, and the thought of me being subject to anyone if hard for me to swallow. I like to be in control. I like to make my own decisions. I don't like being impacted by the decisions made by others. I don't want to have to worry about how my choices impact others. Now, that doesn't mean that I don't care what others have to say or think. It's just that I would prefer if they would see things my way!!

As I got to thinking what this verse really means, it really has a lot of implications. The idea of subjection to others can be applied to any kind of relationship we have with others. Our spouses, our family, our friends, our coworkers, our bosses...you name it, we can apply this principle. I don't think it means letting others walk all over you, but I do believe that it means living in harmony as much as possible with others in your life.

If you go back a couple of verses, in verse 18, Paul talks about being in the Spirit. I believe that this is the foundation for what we are asked to do in verse 21. We must rely on the Spirit in order to live in harmony with others, because our basic nature is selfish. The Spirit allows us to be aware of the needs of others, thus allowing us to take that into consideration when we are making decisions or developing opinions about certain things or situations.

Think about it. If two people in a relationship are both being submissive to one another, then they are both thinking about the other before themselves. If both parties are thinking of the other, then the needs of both are more easily met. I believe that when we are in relationships where we feel the other thinks of our needs as their own, we feel more secure, as do they. We don't have to worry about being taken advantage of. We don't have to worry about the other person neglecting us. And because both parties have the Spirit, then the values are the same, and there is less room for dissent because both people in the relationship respect the same ideals.

I think that was one of the reasons that Paul talks about not being unequally yoked in relationships in 2 Corinthians 6:14. If we are linked together with an unbeliever, how can we expect this principle of subjection to work properly? If one person is submissive, but the other isn't, how can either feel secure in the relationship? The one knows the other isn't thinking of his/her best interest, and the other assumes the same of the believer. It causes a great sense of distrust between the two. As a result, communication breaks down, and the relationship suffers.

But what to do when we are in a relationship with an unbeliever? For instance, many of us work for unbelievers. In those circumstances, we should still follow the same principle, but rely heavily on the Spirit for direction. We are still held accountable to live in harmony with them to the best of our ability. We also have the assurance of our Father that despite the schemes of those that do not believe, that we will over come the world through our faith (if we are born of God (I John 1:4).

Sometimes it is hard to see that, because we see unbelievers prosper and take advantage of others. However, remember that ultimately, our reward is in heaven, and although we may not be rich here on earth, we are rich beyond measure if we have Christ as our Savior. It really comes down to what you focus your heart upon (Matthew 6:21).