Speaking Evil of Authorities, Part 2
"Likewise ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives; while they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear. Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; but let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands: even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughter ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement." (1 Peter 1-6)
So today we will look at what it means to be subject to the authority of our husbands; an authority given to husbands by God, but an authority that so very many wives, as I once did myself, so easily forget about (or even deliberately set aside) for a variety of reasons. I am going to give a few that I have heard:
"He does not keep a job for long thereby putting us into financial straits; he doesn't handle money well, thereby putting us into financial straits; he just doesn't seem to have any common sense; I make much better decisions and more quickly than he does; he's too emotional; he's a push-over; he's too cold-hearted; he's too stern; he's lazy, I have to do everything or it just won't get done; he's too slow, nothing will ever get done unless I do it myself; he doesn't understand children's self-esteem issues like I do; he's not their natural father, he's their step-father, therefore he can't possibly love them as I do, and so he can't really make the best decisions regarding them; he doesn't "understand" the children the way I do, he's too harsh in his speaking to them; he doesn't care what our house and yard look like, not like I do; if I don't maintain this great job, we'll never get ahead, we can't rely on his salary alone."
How many other reasons are there? Probably too many to list here, and I know I missed some equally good ones! Aside from "speaking evil" of this authority that God has established to be the head of our households, how does this talk or thinking reject GOD Himself? For it does indeed.
The point is this: we wives abduct our husband's authority (and become rebellious to God) because of our "fears." That's what it all boils down to, if we will just face the facts. Fear of not having enough material things. Fear of going bankrupt. Fear of our children being wounded emotionally because our husbands believe discipline is a good thing. Fear of what others might think. It's all about our fears. And we all should know by now that those who are fearful will not have a place in the kingdom of God.
Once we acknowledge that our fears cause many of the problems between us and our husbands, perhaps we can then look at the example Peter gives us of Sarah. It's an excellent example: of Sarah's obedience to her husband and therefore to God; and it's an excellent example of a bad decision that a self-centered Abraham made (not once but twice!) that put his own wife in danger, and why? To save his own skin! Listen to the first example in Genesis 12 (remember, they were still Sarai and Abram, God had not yet added the "h" or spirit-breathed sound to both of their names):
"And there was a famine in the land: and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there; for the famines was grievous in the land. And it came to pass, when he was come near to enter into Egypt, that he said unto Sarai his wife, Behold now, I know that thou art a fair woman to look upon: therefore it shall come to pass, when the Egyptians shall see thee, that they shall say, 'This is his wife': and they will kill me, but they will save thee alive. Say, I pray thee, thou art my sister: that it may be well with me for thy sake; and my soul shall live because of thee." (Genesis 12:10-12)
And as you read on in this passage, you will see that indeed, Abram told the Egyptians that Sarai was his sister, rather than his wife, and sure enough, the Pharaoh wanted her for his own; obviously she was a beautiful woman! Sarai could have told the truth, but she was obedient to her husband, even in this bad decision, and was led away to the Pharaoh's house. Peter tells us that this is because Sarai trusted God. And I believe at this particular time, she trusted God more than Abram did; for just a few verses prior to this passage is where God covenanted with Abram to make him the father of many nations. Abram should have known that God was not done with him and would not have allowed him to be killed by the Egyptians. But, then again, who am I to point out Abram's lack of faith, right? When my own is often equal to Abram's rather than Sarai's.
My point is, that this bad decision did not have to be made by Abram, but once it was, for better or for worse, Sarai submitted herself to his decision…BECAUSE she trusted God completely. And who saved Sarai from the Pharaoh's unwanted attentions? GOD. She was right to trust Him to take care of her, not matter what her husband did. And, in Genesis 21, Abram did the same thing again to Sarai. And again, God protected her.
So what does this say to us? Of all the excuses given above of why we wives feel we have to "take over" – which of these reasons is as devastating to us as what Sarai experienced in being handed over to a complete stranger with the potential of now becoming his concubine? None that I can see. So why do we trust God less? Why do we take from our husbands their God-given place of authority and assume it for ourselves? And when we do this, is it sin?
YES! But it isn't sin against our husbands. It's sin against GOD!
That part of the passage above that says "while they [your husbands] behold your chase conversation couples with fear" speaks of us wives having fear of the Lord; enough fear of the Lord to remain obedient even at times of "amazement" which is another way, in the Greek, of saying "terror." So, when those times of "terror" strike your heart, just as your husband is about to make a bad decision (or so you believe), try to remember Sarah's calm trust in the almighty God, that allowed her to be obedient to her husband, and therefore obedient to God, no matter how bleak things appeared to be.
God CAN be trusted…in ANY situation!!!
Tomorrow, Part 3 of "Speaking Evil of Authorities" in Mighty Through God, Part 9.
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