This is the world's view of submission, being forced into an action or position you would never choose willingly, a place of humility and victimization. Women are forced into submission in bad relationship's with their husbands, wrestlers who lose must submit to their victorious opponent, slaves are submitting to their harsh and awful masters. But these are the misconstrued perspectives and examples of what submission is not meant to be by God. Jesus submitted to his father, to God, and he submitted himself to all people around him. In Philippians 2: 3-8, Paul says that because Jesus placed others above himself, we are to have that same self-denial that recognizes the people around us more than ourselves,
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!
I've been reading about the discipline of submission the past few days in Richard Foster's Celebration of Discipline, and it has been very VERY helpful. The other night I let myself get so overworked and angry from feeling like I wasn't the best women's coordinator. I started thinking if I were good at anything and wondering if I were number one to anyone, if I were important enough or worth loving that much. I felt hopeless and angry and I wanted to hit my head against a wall and drink until I passed out. Unfortunately for my anger, yet highly fortunate for my overall person, my plans were destroyed by two freshmen needing a kitchen to bake brownies (I'm telling you these kids are ANGELS) and my roommate sleeping at our house that night.
That was when I first picked up Celebration of Discipline after reading and writing about the first shall be last and such n such gospel teachns. I read that every discipline has a corresponding freedom and that submission's correspondent is THE ABILITY TO LAY DOWN THE TERRIBLE BURDEN OF ALWAYS NEEDING TO GET OUR OWN WAY. And that hooked me to this chapter on submission, I am all about laying down burdens for some freedom!
Foster writes, "Do you know the liberation that comes from giving up your rights? It means you are set free from the seething anger and bitterness you feel when someone doesn't act toward you the way you think they should." And he says that, "In submission we are at last free to value other people. --the freedom to give up our own rights for the good of others. For the first time we can love people unconditionally. We have given up the right to demand that they return our love."
I really want to give up my rights of demanding anything!
