Submission is A Lot Like Riding Shot Gun

As the raindrops hit my window I shivered. I was abundantly thankful I did not have to make this trip. I hate driving in the rain. Yet though I know I have a trust worthy accident free driver guiding us along I still find myself cringing often. You see I would like to critique or maybe even criticize him. If I was driving I would not get as close to that car or I would have stopped sooner there especially in this rain. It goes on and on, yet I have a perfectly good leader in the drivers seat. Why is it I think I could do any better? Especially when I do not even want to be the one driving in the first place? (The answer for this could be an entire other post. But the quick answer is sin.)

You see I need to respect the fact that he is the driver. That is his role. I am the passenger. He is getting us to where we need to be. This is a lot like how submission in marriage works. In marriage only one person can drive or lead. God gave that position to your husband. As a good and wise servant leader it would be to his benefit to ask your opinion for suggestions as to how to get to your destination. However, in the end ultimately he is the one accountable before God for how he leads you. Wouldn't you like to make it easy on him?

Our role and what we are accountable before God for is how well we submit to our man. What kind of a passenger are you? He will be a much better leader if you make it easier for him to lead you. If you are on your journey and question every route he tries to take then it does not help his confidence at all. Be his cheerleader even if you have to backtrack. You are in the same car on the same team on the same route. Make it a smooth ride together. It is your role. There is only room for one driver.

So to satisfy this on our real soggy drive when we get to a place where I am nervous and think he is driving poorly I close my eyes and bow my head and silently ask God to help me trust. After all He gave me this man as my husband. If I do not trust him to lead me I am ultimately not trusting God. In that moment when you want to cringe, whisper a prayer to the One who understands. He will give you the ability to trust. That is what failure to submission really boils down to anyway--A failure to trust. A failure to release control to the One who has all things in His hands.

Marriage after all was designed to reflect a picture of Christ and His church. Don't you want to reflect it well to the world? You can by doing your part. Submit. Respect. Love. This will shine a bright reflection of Christ to a dark and dying world where the beauty of marriage has been trampled. It is a covenant. Play your role well.