The church’s stance about the husband serving as the spiritual leader of the home (Ephesians 5:22-33) ruffled many female feathers in the age of Women’s Liberation. This was due to actual experience, as well as a preconceived perception and the “macho” attitude of many husbands.
This policy appealed to the imagination of many men. They treated their wife like a second-class citizen and a mindless servant created solely to do their bidding. They dictated family procedure and did not regard the opinion or needs of their “helpmate” (Genesis 2:18). Of course, under such imposed bondage, even the humblest wife protected their self.
God had a different experience in mind when He inspired these words concerning submission. When interpreting a verse, we must take into consideration several factors: the wisdom from other verses pertaining to this topic, the customs of the age and times in which it was written, and the context of the other verses written around the focal point we are considering.
The Lord created Eve as a companion who was equal to Adam (Genesis 2:18). A woman that honors the Lord with her life is worthy of praise. She deserves to receive consideration and gratitude for the benefits she provides with her own hands (Proverbs 31:25, 30-31).
God’s Word freed women of many cultures from the bondage of serving only as domestic help and being considered as mere livestock for a man to own (Luke 10:38-40). A wife is worth more than precious gems, and nothing a man can ever desire is worth more than her (Proverbs 3:15).
Love, respect, appreciation, compassion, and mutual respect fosters a love relationship between a man and woman. Each preferring and supporting one another (Romans 12:9-21). We give each other the same love that we see in Jesus’ example (John 13:34; 1 Corinthians 11:3).
We do not treat each other with selfish ambition or self-centered pride; but with humility, we consider each other more important than our self (Philippians 2:3). We show deep, genuine love for one another from a pure heart (1 Peter 1:22). We are teammates, not competitors.
Prayer:
Father God, Your Word commands that a husband love his wife as Christ loves His church and sacrificed Himself for it (Ephesians 5:25). Show husbands that their wife is more willing to exhibit Godly character, and honor and submit to her husband if he has this attitude and considers her needs in his decisions and actions (Titus 2:3-5; Ephesians 5:22-24).
You charge a husband to love his wife as much as he cares for his own body and loves himself (Ephesians 5:28). This attitude helps a woman to build up her household, not to usurp authority over her husband, to guard against being led by her nurturing heart rather than God’s Spirit, and to live in faith, charity, and holiness (Proverbs 14:1; 1 Timothy 2:11-15).
Thoughts for the Day:
There is a balance between a dictatorship and mutual submission. God is our Father, and converted Believers are His sons as well as His daughters (2 Corinthians 6:18). As co-heirs with Jesus (Romans 8;17) both the husband and the wife are partners in this thing called “life.” For one spouse to exhibit dominant behavior over the other breaks the plan God had for us all along.
