“Do you wish to be great? Then begin by being. Do you desire to construct a vast and lofty fabric? Think first about the foundations of humility. The higher your structure is to be, the deeper must be its foundation.”

 Saint Augustine

 Ephesians 5:21

If you have traveled for any length of time on highways you know that we are not, by nature, a submissive people  I’m speaking of those moments when the slow, plodding fellow that you’ve been following for fifty miles suddenly discovers he has unused horsepower, just as soon as you pull out to pass.  Mature, civil, respectable people suddenly are reduced to drag racing teenagers in order to see that they are able to continue to be the one in the lead for the next three-quarters of a mile until the turn-off.  Is this any way to live?

The term in Ephesians “mutual submission” is the primary point of the next chapter and a half of Paul’s lessons.  He uses this to teach about husbands and wives, parents and children, slaves and masters.  In each case we are to practice this attitude of humility and seeking to serve the other.  Putting into today’s language, if you have authority then you are called to use that authority in a manner that serves those who are under that authority. It is a discipline of putting ourselves in a perspective of joyfully serving, rather than feeling inconvenienced, challenged, and threatened by people and the world around us.

What is significant is that this isn’t merely for the benefit of those who are under authority.  It has to do with the kind of person that we want to be, the way in which we want to live.  It has to do with the gift of being alive and joyful, as opposed to being anxious, and hostile.  It’s more than just “what goes around comes around.” It is a very basic principle of life:  What you sow will become what you reap; the manner in which you live will become the life that you receive.

Take for example the boss who berates his employees and treats them with contempt.  He accuses them of dishonesty, ignores their personal needs, and depersonalizes them.  The manner in which he treats the employees will become the manner in which he will anticipate being treated.  This boss will spend his days anxiously awaiting retaliation.  He knows that any time soon, there is someone who will humiliate, attack, and belittle him.  He will fear that just around the corner is someone waiting to pounce upon his vulnerabilities and will delight in his destruction.

Contrast this with the servant leader, the one who practices mutual submission.  She will seek to know and to care for those over whom she has responsibility.  She will not only lead by example, but will care for them as individuals who are gifted and capable with the knowledge that they will tend to treat her in the same way.  She will do what she can to provide them an atmosphere in which their gifts and abilities grow and excel.  If their talents are recognized and she sees them being raised up, given greater honor, she will celebrate that they will be in a greater position to serve and that it will be to her benefit as well.  She is not threatened by other’s success or recognition because she anticipates respect, mutual support, and concern.

Another example:  Consider the gossip, the one who is constantly criticizing others and leaving in his wake a series of broken reputations.  Does he think that those to whom he is speaking haven’t assumed that they also are his targets when he is with others?!  The gossip suffers from the knowledge that very few will trust him and feels he must build himself up and ingratiate himself with present company by running down others.  Unfortunately this creates a life of suspicion and fear of what others are saying behind his back.

But those who speak as servants, seeking to bring honor and support those of whom they speak anticipate that they will be treated the same.  Granted, sometimes people are inconsiderate or hurtful, but that is what is to be human.  We forgive to the best of our ability and allow God to take care of the rest.

The point is that humility is a powerful means to support our health, wisdom, and strength. Through humility we create a means to build relationships that are continually supportive, confidence building, and strong.  It strengthens our relationship with God, with the people around us, and frees us from a sense of dread that horrible things await just around the corner.

As we work to grow and understand how God blesses us through relationships we will seek to know this gift of mutual submission as a practical discipline. As we grow in mutual submission it has remarkable capability to not only provide strength for challenging times, but changes how we experience the world around us and our relationships.

So we will study mutual submission as a gift from Christ, who submitted himself to the world.  It was his gift of love and compassion that made salvation possible.  This creates for us a model of what it is to live fully and joyfully, as servants of Christ.

Peace,

Pastor Jack