The Best Relationship “Tip” Ever
“Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.” Paul
Love and Lordship in Focus…The best tip for great relationships (marriage, parenting, family, friendships, Christ’s Church…all relationships) begins with humble submission for all others!
As I’ve shared numerous times over the years on God’s kind of Love and designed order, The Lord laid on my heart this foundational piece and it’s something I’ve seen missing over and over again in marriages, families and relationships in general, which always leads to great struggles and usually hardened or broken hearts. None of us desires this in our relationships. With that said…
Let me set the stage…if you’ve been to a marriage/family conference or retreat or heard a message, watched a video, you’re probably familiar with Ephesians 5:22, it’s where most of them, over the years, begin the marriage message, “Wives submit to your husbands as you do to The Lord.” To which many husbands will wake up and say, “Wow, this is really great, honey, thanks for dragging me here. Are you listening to this?”
The only problem is that if we start there we miss the entire foundation for great relationships and especially great marriages and families! I promise that if you apply this one tip, flowing from God’s 2 Greatest Commands…in order…you can have a great marriage, wonderful family and fulfilling relationships…notice I didn’t say “easy!”
One verse before, Ephesians 5:21, changes everything and is essentially our tip…Submit to one another out of reverence (or honor) for Christ (our Lord). WOW! What would our homes and relationships look like if we started where God says we should?
Relationships are built on submission that is borne out of honor for our Lord! This requires humility as shared previously this week!
Check this out…First, Christ has to be Lord and we begin by honoring (loving/obeying) Him. Second, as we learn to honor Him as Lord we can then live out what it means to submit to others…spouse, children, Church family, friends…all others!
This is what relationships are built on according to God’s Word, design and order. Let’s imagine…what your marriage would look like if both of you were obedient to God’s Word in just this one command? What your home would be like if you honored The Lord and submitted to others as the starting point for relating with your spouse and children? What if just one of you chose to be obedient to The Lord in this? What might happen?
Wives, imagine what submission would actually entail if your husband led by honoring The Lord and submitting to you in love as Christ did His Bride? Husbands, imagine if you followed through on this, what your wife’s submission might look like? We’re the servant-leaders! It starts with us. Imagine the atmosphere in your home, your marriage, with your children from just following this one tip…this one command?!?
You see, God’s Word is not to the husband to make your wife submit… it’s to your wife to willingly choose to do so. His word, wife, is not for you to manipulate your husband to obey in loving you…it is to us, husbands, to lovingly choose to place our wife above self and give our life for her! It begins with our relationship with Christ…our love, honor, respect and submission to Him!
It can only be done as we first and foremost, “out of honor for Christ (as our Lord), submit to one another.”
Now thinking ahead…imagine what the crucial issues in your marriage, family and relationships would look like if we began with, “Submit to one another out of honor for Christ”…Your Communication; resolving conflicts, finances, in sexual expectations, in habits/lifestyle patterns. This puts everything in the right priorities and perspective. Are you beginning to glimpse a new picture?
What do you think? Go to @Love and Lordship on FB and share your comments or submit your question and let’s build a conversation that helps us Honor Marriage and build great marriages, families and all relationships, including Christ’s Church, just as God designed and intended!
Throughout this year, Lord willing, we’ll talk about the Best Communication, Resolving Conflict that actually makes your marriage better, The Best Sex (that will get a lot of guys to tune in)… and more…all starting with this ONE life-and marriage-changing tip/command.
And if you still haven’t figured it out the tip is…Submit to one another out of reverence (honor) for Christ (as our Lord)! Ephesians 5:21
This should be the starting point for all of our relationships according to God’s Word.
Remember Ephesians 5:22 is not written to husbands…it’s a command and the choosing of the wife! Husbands, it’s not our job to “make” or demand that our wife submit!
Ephesians 5:25-27 is not written to wives…it’s a command and the choosing of the husband to love as Christ did His Bride, The Church! Ladies, it’s not your job to make or manipulate your husband love you!
Love and Lordship…Food for Thought – Let’s take God at His Word and love/obey Him so we can build these awesome relationships, marriages and families that will reflect His love to a world that sorely needs it! How else are they going to see it? Join the conversation @LoveandLordship or email me at loveandlordship@gmail.com. Let’s discuss this further as we continue with more on building Godly relationships, and in particular in marriage, sexuality and family!!
Love in Action –
- Choose to spend time with God in His Word and prayer every day.
- As you spend time with The Lord in His Word and prayer, ask The Holy Spirit to show you what it means to submit to one another out of reverence/honor for Christ?
- As you honor The Lord, begin by submitting humbly to your spouse…how can you show that today?
Contact us at loveandlordship@gmail.com.
Love and Lordship Prayer Focus…Heavenly Father, help me to learn to humbly submit, first to You, and then to all others, especially those closest to me…my spouse, children, family. Only in this way can I build loving relationships that honor You, bless others, and build Your Church and Kingdom. In Jesus Name. Amen.