Who's The Boss?

Everyone has authority over their lives. It does not matter what environment you are in, there is usually someone in authority over you. We have bosses, coaches, teachers, parents, elders, husbands, and all sorts of different authority figures in our lives, everywhere we go. But a great question to ask yourself is this: who is the true and ultimate authority over my life?

All of us have to answer that question. The Sunday school is answer is: Jesus. The true answer is "Jesus," but many only say that because we are supposed to. While saying Jesus is our ultimate authority, many of us live as if we were. We make our decisions, doing what we want, with who we want, when we want, and how we want. "This is my life" is the mantra for someone who believes they are the ruling and reigning authority over their lives.

Others have a different authority over them. For some, their friends are their ultimate authority. This may sound strange, but when you look at how they make decisions in life, it is based off of how they believe their friends will accept or approve their decisions. What they wear. Who they hang out with. What they do with their free time. The way they talk. The activities they engage in. All of these things, and more, mark the life of someone who's friends serve as their ultimate authority.

Some of us have let the opinions of our culture and society, which changes like the weather, to be our ultimate authority. If our culture says it's okay to sleep together before marriage, then we do it. If our culture say's homosexual relationships are okay, then we approve it. If our culture says it's okay to pursue vain and lustful desires, then we engage in it. We must stand apart from a world that seeks to live according to its own desires. We must stand firm in the authority of Christ and His Word, even if the entire world were to go against what God's makes clear about His ways and what He wants His people to do.

We need to take a hard look in the mirror and evaluate whether we are truly living under the authority of Christ. Many who say they live under God's authority are only saying it, their lives and actions say something very different. To live under the authority of Christ means that we care more about what God thinks than what we or any other person thinks. We let God's Word serve as our guide, not our own opinions. This is why every word of Scripture should be taken seriously, not only the parts we have highlighted and underlined.

Pray and ask God to reveal to you how you are doing in submitting to His ultimate authority.

Questions for reflection: What things in your life need to be aligned today to better surrender to Christ. What attitudes and actions need to be repented of so that you can serve Christ as your ultimate authority, instead of someone else?


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Women Submit, Men Check-out

 
I know that the title of my post is exaggerated. I'm very aware that not all women submit and not all men check-out. The husband/wife dynamic is an interesting one to say the least. Throw into the mix the standards by which God expects us to uphold within that relationship according to the Scriptures and you have yourself a mess. The Scriptures in Ephesians 5 lays out the standard by which husbands and wives are to relate to one another. The popular passage from this chapter is tells wives to submit to their husbands. Every man, Christian and non-Christian, has likely quoted that passage to his wife at some point in their relationship, only to have her chirp back with something clever in return, leaving him grasping for a reply.

The Bible does tell women to submit to their husband's leadership in the home. The wife is supposed to respect her husband and fall under his leadership. The problem is: most guys do not lead in such a way that merits their wives to submit to them. Most guys checkout of their role as husbands and leaders of the home. The Bible gives men an even more difficult role than wives. The Bible says for men to love their wives as Christ loved the church. Christ gave his life for the church, and this is the example given for how husbands should love and honor their wives. 1 Peter 3:7 even tells us that the prayers of the man who doesn't honor his wife will be hindered. In other words, being the man God has called you to be to your wife and children is a HUGE responsibility.

Back to the Garden

I want to wrap up this post with a reminder of the story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Who ate from the forbidden tree? Eve. However, Adam, who was checked-out, was there beside her. Eve is having a conversation concerning their obedience with the serpent and Adam is sitting by passively. Eve eats of the forbidden fruit, and gives some to Adam too. Then they recognize their sin, hide from God, and await what they know will be a dreadful encounter. What happens next? God comes and they are hiding. God addresses the issue. Who does God question about the incident? Eve? No. "What have you done?," is asked of Adam, the husband. God went to the leader of the family and made him given an account. Eve was the culprit, and God was fully aware of this, but He went to the man, the husband, and held him responsible.

Men, are you checked-out at home? Step up. Quit playing it safe from the sidelines and be the man your wife wants and needs you to be. Wives, submit to your husbands, even when they fail in their leadership. Don't chastise him or belittle him. Let him lead, be supportive, encourage him to lead as God desires. This is the picture of the marriage God designed to exist. We need to relearn what healthy relationships look like and quit defining the parameters for ourselves.