Ephesians 5:21-33
I don't think men should be allowed to read verses 22-24. All it does is stoke the fires of selfishness and pride. Ok, I should probably also say that women shouldn't be allowed to read v. 22-28 because it seems to do the same thing.
Why is it that when we read instructions about how someone is supposed to treat us we become blind to the instructions about how we are supposed to treat others? Why is it that the (mostly male) editors of Bible translations always placed the heading break "Wives and Husbands" or something similar AFTER the verse "Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ"? Did they think that by doing that they could minimize the notice of that verse and people would give more notice to "Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands..." (like we needed the help to overemphasize that!)? Why is it that men traditionally have wrestled their wives into submission and women have had to make their husbands love them? It becomes a huge selfishly motivated war which lasts until someone taps out. We could avoid the whole thing if we would just submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. Me loving my wife like Christ loved the church is part of me living a life worthy of the callling I have received (4:1).
So how am I supposed to treat my wife? I am supposed to show her my love by sacrificing my life to make her shine. I am supposed to put aside my own interests and invest my whole self in her interests, emotions, needs and wants (sounds suspiciously like submitting...). I am supposed to be willing to lose my identity, my goals and even my life for her sake because I am supposed to love my wife like Christ loved the church. If I can be honest, and I believe I can; I don't love my wife this way. I am still selfish and full of pride. Christine is so often willing to support me and to give of her time and energy, sacrificing her own, for me and I am very willing to take advantage of that.
Lord, give me the love for Christine that you have for the church.
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Blevos is the name we came up with for web-logging-devotions. It all started with a discussion about the role of community and the role of "private" devotions. It was decided this was a great mix.
2 comments:
Amen. I love this passage because my very best days at home is when I am focused on this love and trying to live it. My worst days are when I become important. Funny how that works.
Yup...absolutely fair and true. It is funny how we tend to look at what we should be getting as opposed to what we should be giving (an by the way, I get way more than I give...interesting how the less I give, the more I'm concerned with what I get). I struggle with this so much...what a load of crap. If I truly accepted my role that God has given me, if I pursued loving my wife as I am commanded, I would care nothing about her role in loving me...in a way, it would become irrelavant to me. I need to wake up. Lord, wake me up...
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