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MARRIAGE 101
Some things are just too good not to
share.
(Ephesians
5:21-33)
While getting married takes only a few minutes, being a good husband takes
a lifetime. God places a premium on a husband's role, and Paul emphasized
that fact by giving the Ephesian men a short course in being better
husbands.
Unfortunately, some men and women who read Ephesians 5: 22-23 get
sidetracked on Paul's instructions concerning wives' responsibility to
submit to their husbands. Such people make the critical mistake of
overlooking verse 21:
"Submit to one another
out of reverence for Christ."
Marriage requires mutual submission, an
attitude that doesn't always come naturally.
 It's
in that context that Paul tells husbands they're to provide their wives
with leadership. Not a heavy handed domineering, "I'm the boss!" kind of
leadership. But the kind of leadership Christ exercises over the church -
servant leadership. (see also
Philippians 2:3-11). This powerful image shows the degree of
commitment that God requires of husbands. As Christ gave his life for the
church, so husbands are to give their lives for their wives and are to
always put their wives' needs before their own. In the context of such
leadership, following becomes a delight.
Godly leadership begins with a servants heart. That servant attitude runs
the gamut from the daily issues of basic housework and child care, to
major issues such as seeking her opinion first when new career
opportunities arise. Take a minute to reread this passage and think of
some specific, concrete ways you can be a servant to your wife. Determine
that by the grace of God, your love for her will emulate Christ's complete
and sacrificial love for the church.
I have read these verses in Ephesians many times and read several authors
talk about how Ephesians calls men to love their wives as Christ loves the
church and to give yourself up for her, but reading that we are to ALWAYS
(my emphasis) put our wives' needs before our own really hit home to me.
As I said above, some things are just too good not to share.
Yours in Christ,
Bill Giles
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