Conduct yourselves honorably among the Gentiles, so that, though they malign you as evildoers, they may see your honorable deeds and glorify God when He comes to judge.That phrase always gives me pause ... "Conduct yourselves honorably ..."
There are many areas where Peter could take the principle - many arenas in each of our human lives where honorable behavior is important. But he takes it into an attitude that chaffs against our spirits. He takes it into the arena of "submission". Listen ...
Read 1 Peter 2:13 - 3:7
Submit yourselves, therefore ... Why? For the Lord's sake. Oh. Not for my sake? Not because I just love the whole idea? Not only when I agree with the circumstances? You mean this isn't all about me? Huh. Novel idea - not being all about me.
Peter specifically mentioned 3 areas pertinent to his readers. He addressed government - he addressed slaves - he addressed marriage. And in each of the three, his instruction as Pastor/teacher is the same. Submit yourselves. So often our first response is ... "But" ... And then we begin to explain away what Peter has said ... or why it doesn't make sense ... or why it is unfair.
Lest we think we get a pass because our times are harder than Peter's readers' times - remember that the government at the time of this writing was Rome and Nero was the emperor. Slavery was a perfectly acceptable social system at the time of this writing. People as property. Wives were also property of the husband. He was free to go out and about - to divorce when he wanted. She was not. Yet Peter still writes of honorable behavior ... of submission. And he write to three specific groups of people that, at the time of the writing, held no power. Submission was forced upon them. So obviously Peter is writing about attitude ... not merely observable behaviors, but attitudes of heart.
The first thing we realize as we read Peter's words is that submission is not a "female issue". It is a believer's issue. Male and female.
It not only matters 'for the Lord's sake', it also matters for the sake of the lost. In 1 Peter 2: 12, Peter writes:
Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.When the "pagans", the unbelievers, see the way you live, they just may turn and choose to glorify God. They just may turn ... Is that worth it? Remember, it's not all about you.
The second thing I notice is that submission is a choice. It is an attitude of respect. It is choosing to place oneself 'under' rather than on top.
Submission is NOT taking abuse from a spouse when he/she physically or emotionally abuses the other. It is NOT disobeying God because of any government. It is NOT instigating rebellion at work.
It is a chosen attitude by believers because they follow the example of their Lord. Peter told us that Jesus "committed no sin and no deceit was found in his mouth". Peter told us that Jesus, instead of retaliation, entrusted Himself to God.
The third thing that stands out to me is that for us, women who are married, submission is ornamental. It is like an accessory that makes us beautiful. Listen to the words of Casandra Martin in her Bible study, "Immeasurably More":
God connects our submission to beauty. Women long to be beautiful. Our definition of beauty may vary by culture, but our desire for beauty is God-born. Our world has taken that desire and made it entirely about physical appearance. Here God realigns our focus, ... Beauty begins with being dependent on God. ... Submission boldly proclaims that God is in control. It calls us to bend our hearts to Him, allowing Him to shape the circumstances, people, and situations around us. ... The purpose of submission is to allow God to shape the image of Jesus deep within us. ... Possessing a gentle and quiet spirit is at the heart of submission. A gentle spirit leans completely on God. Humility, kindness, and surrender define gentleness. Its opposites are pushy, hard, demanding, and self-focused. A gentle heart has learned that God will supply every need. God's sufficient grace becomes her greatest resource. A quiet spirit has learned to rest in the presence and purpose of God. There is no need for the spotlight, no clamoring for attention, and no demand that it all be about me. A quiet spirit blunts the whining, worry, and moodiness in which we too often indulge. It knows how to be still before God and is committed to listening. to Him.It's important to remember that we each must work this out in our individual relationships - no two of which look the same. Your exercise of submission in your marriage, in your work place, will not look exactly like anyone else. That's why we will not judge another woman's "working it out in her life," While it won't look just like someone else ... it will always look like our Lord.
Submission ... honorable living as a believer ... mutual submission to one another. Our Pastor/teacher Peter tells us that is the way believers live. How about you?
Remember ... "Conduct yourselves honorably ..."
Yes, Lord.
