submission

I read one of the best definitions
of submitting to one an other,
I have ever read.

There is seldom a problem with submission in the home
when a husband has a heart that is genuinely submissive to God.

The reason is clear: with a heart submissive to God,
the Spirit filled man truly loves his wife
as Christ loved the church...
and there's no one else on earth he loves quite like her.

He demonstrates it by listening when she speaks,
by respecting her opinion,
by caring for her,
by releasing many of his own rights.

Part of love is sharing.
When a wife knows that she is enveloped
in that kind of respectful attention,
she has no trouble at all yielding to her husband.

Why would any husband strive to be like that?
Ephesians 5:21 explains,
"Be subject to one another in the fear of Christ."
In other words, out of respect for Christ.

You know why I listen when my wife speaks?
Because I respect Christ.

You know why she listens to me
when I say what may be hard for her to hear?
Because she respects Christ.

When both of you respect Christ,
it does an amazing thing to your ability to communicate.
The barriers just drop, and we're open to each other.


Taken from Charles Swindoll Embraced by the Spirit.