Submission Competition
Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. Ephesians 5:21
Insight
Imagine waking up with a full day of student-teaching ahead of you. You are exhausted from a week of wrangling kindergarteners and learning about the daunting (and demanding) career that awaits you. The sun hasn’t even come up yet. And what do you find in your sink? Your husband’s beard shavings. This is the daily reality of my best friend and sister-in-law.
Yes, my brother married my best friend. But, no, it isn’t weird; it’s actually quite awesome.
Hannah inspires me. Though part of her inevitably groans when she sees my brother’s beard shavings in their sink again, she always returns to a piece of sage advice given to her by a beloved mentor: Marriage is a submission competition.
When Austin reminds her of his brokenness, she reminds herself that my brother is a child of the Most High. In response to how Jesus gave His life for her, Hannah decides to serve my brother and clean up his beard shavings, time and time again. Because Jesus first loved Hannah, Hannah loves Austin, no matter what it demands of her. And Austin reciprocates. He should get some credit: there haven’t been beard shavings in their sink for quite some time.
When we hear Christ’s command to submit to one another, we often wince and ignore the call. In our culture, “submission” has a very negative connotation. Though, contrary to what we believe, submission isn’t about being placed under another human’s authority (or accepting their abuse). Instead, submission is about letting Jesus have authority over how we treat those around us. When Jesus directs our actions toward others, we consistently serve them and put their needs and desires before our own.
Serving others is our response to what Jesus did for us. Jesus gave up His comfort, time, and personal desires to show those around Him just how much they are worth in the eyes of His Father. If we call ourselves followers of Jesus, we ought to mimic His character and conduct.
If I knew I would die tomorrow, I’d likely eat all my favorite treats and spend the day living for myself. Jesus knew when it was His last day. And how did He spend it? Washing His disciples’ feet (John 13:5-17)! Jesus demonstrated that the posture we ought to have in our relationships is one of submission. He told us that being “great” means living as servants to those around us (Matthew 20:25-28). The accurate measure of a life is how much it is given away.
Reflection
Today, what would it look like to approach your relationships as a “submission competition”?
Who do you struggle to love in a self-sacrificial way? How might God call you to submit to this person/these people?
Prayer
Abba, thank you for loving me with unconditional and sacrificial love. Thank you for modeling how to live rightly: loving others first and seeking my desires second. Empower me today to elevate the needs and desires of others above my own, whatever that may look like. Remind me that my service to others shouldn’t be dictated by how much I think they deserve my time and energy. Remind me that honoring You is one and the same as honoring the children You love. Remind me how You gave every part of Yourself for me. Out of my reverence for You, help me intentionally seek out ways to serve Your children. Amen.
Port City writer Kate Redenbaugh wrote today's devotional.