Soul Care - Submission
by Mary Elsbury
When I was in my teens, I worked at a stable that was known for taking wild horses and turning them into tame beasts. It was a long process, often taking months to a year. The breaking point came when we tried to put the bridle on with the metal bit for the mouth. It was a control thing – and the horse did not want to submit. The gentler the touch and the more communication we had with the animal made a huge difference. With lots of love, submission was accomplished.
There is a beautiful picture in Scripture of how Jesus approached submission.
Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death – even death on a cross.
Philippians 2:6-8 (NIV © 1984)
Christ could have said “no” to being a willing sacrifice, but for the sake of mankind, he gave up control to the Father.
Submission has a bad reputation – and the more liberal our society gets, the more we refuse to be led. Scripture is clear. We are not our own. God is in control. Submission that leads to growth means aligning our will and freedom with God’s plan for our lives. As we develop our relationship with Christ, we trust that as the Creator of the universe, He knows what is best for us.
The Apostle Paul encouraged fellow Jesus-followers to “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ (Ephesians 5:21).” While I may not always agree with one of my brothers or sisters, I must allow them to mentor me in areas where I need to have my sharp edges knocked off. I need to have a teachable spirit. The older I get, the more I recognize that I need to submit and that brings incredible freedom. British theologian John Stott stated, “The authority by which the Christian leads is not power but love, not force but example, not coercion but reasoned persuasion. Leaders have power, but power is safe only in the hands of those who humble themselves to serve.”
The Christian life is much like trying to break a horse. We fight change and hate to give up control. Nurturing relationships involves developing humility, fostering gentleness, yielding, and allowing others to guide. True submission is trusting God and being set free to be who we are meant to be. We trust ourselves to Christ knowing that He submitted himself to God for our sake. He laid down his life for us, so through the power of the Holy Spirit we can lay down our life for Christ for the sake of the Gospel.
