1 Peter 3:1-6
1 Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives,
The emphasis on behavior over words is such a powerful truth.
The lives we live will speak much louder than the words we "preach."
It's a tough question, but we have to ask ourselves...if I never spoke a word to my husband, would he see me living for the Lord?
2 when they see the purity and reverence of your lives.
Do our lives speak purity and reverance or are we that clashing symbol of 1 Cor. 13??
3 Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes.
4 Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight.
I don't think this means we should not try to look beautiful for our husbands, I know my husband loves it when I look good for him. But at the same time, outward beauty will fade and then what is left? If we are gorgeous but treat him with disrespect and disdain, we fulfill this verse:
Prov 11:22
22 Like a gold ring in a pig's snout
is a beautiful woman who shows no discretion.
NIV
5 For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful. They were submissive to their own husbands,
6 like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her master. You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear.
NIV
I believe that many times fear keeps us from honoring the Lord as wives. We fear he will not respond gently and with acceptance, but the Lord asks us to live this life FIRST for HIM, then toward our spouses.
Daughters, do what is right and do not give way to fear.
I'm praying for our marriages,
Sue
This month's PRAISE is Casting Crown's,
"The Altar and the Door"
And a bag of coffee from a local coffee house!
To enter contest, leave a comment to THIS post and please add your email if you do not have a website. And please remind me if you have my button on your blog so I can enter your name twice!!
Drawing will be on the 10th of September.
57 comments:
This is such a touchy subject among women for some reason. They equate submissiveness with doormat. It doesn't have to be that way, and God has given us the tools to live fruitful, wonderful lives by obeying him in this area.
Coming to a place in my life and marriage where I was finally obedient to the Word gave me so much freedom that I can't even explain it adequately. God gave us specific roles as women for a reason...just like everything else He does!
Xandra
Xandra,
It is so hard to believe that if we submit ourselves and respect our husbands...it brings freedom not bondage.
It has made my marriage stronger and my family happier.
Sue,
I just got done reading a wonderful book that explained the roles of husbands and wife so well, and did it explaining scriptures! "It's called "what the Bible says about parenting". It goes over everyones role and how God intended it to be! It was great! Sign me up for September too! I love Casting Crowns and I sure need coffee right now!!!
I needed to hear Prov 11:22 this morning! Thanks, Sue and thanks for praying for our marriages!
Love,
Angie xoxo
Very good post! I'd love to win.
Submission is hard, quiet submission is even harder. But it works because it is God's way!
SUCH a great post - SOOOOOO very well put! Thank you so much!!!
And, coffee AND Casting Crowns ... SIGN. ME. UP!!!!! (and I have your btton if that counts for anything!!!)
Love your blog wy the way - always so refreshing and uplifting!
XOXOXOXOX
Becky Jo
Always enjoy reading your blog....
Thank you for the reminder Becky, I added that to the post!!
I agree, Fear does hinder our relationships. Growing up in the home I did, with the father I had, makes it very hard for me to trust my husband that implicitly, to be that submissive.
It comes down to giving things over to God. You here people say "it's in God's hands" all the time. That means - do not worry, believe that God will do what he has promised, that no matter what the outcome, it is God's will.
I have to remind myself, that God's wisdom goes far beyond our own. We can never fully understand His reasons behind something, but we are to trust, to believe, to have faith that He knows best.
I love Casting Crowns and would love to win their CD. Thank you for offering is and delicious coffee. Take care and God bless, Cory
Ah, submission. It is hard to do but we must submit to Him first and that does make it much easier to submit to our husbands. Outward beauty is great, but you are right it does fade. My husband says he likes me without make up...I say love is blind. Thanks for this reminder and thanks for the giveaway. You do so much for our marriages. dlowran1(at)comcast(dot)net. Blessings on your day, Mary Lou
If we can't learn right submissiveness to our spouse, we won't ever know how to rightly submit to God.
bebemiqui82(at)yahoo(dot)com
I want this CD, and the coffee of course! Thanks!
I have your button on my blog!
Words to live by. Thank you.
Theresa N
weceno(at)yahoo(dot)com
It is interesting how often this comes up in the Bible - not just in Paul's letters.
urchiken at gmail dot com
Thanks again, for this great reminder. It always helps to follow the Bible when it comes to marriages, after all, it was God that created marriage! It is a matter of the heart, and really does lead to more joy and happiness.
Thank you for your wonderful posts....oh, and please sign me up for the giveaway...and I also have a button on my blog. :D
Great post Sue!
I'd love it if you could explore what it means to have a "gentle and quiet spirit". I am a get up and go girl and by nature (I suppose you could say my old nature) can at times be a bit "abrupt".
Gentle and quiet... it's going to have to be a work of the Spirit. I need to start praying that I better understand what "gentle and quiet" might look like with my type of personality...
Just came across your blog today and must say it is very uplifting and refreshing. It must be the caffeine! I'm adding your button to my blog at www.misguidedmama.blogspot.com! Hope you visit and I'll continue to read and post.
~misguided mama~
Thank you for the wonderful reminder and powerful message.
Casting Crowns is a favorite in our family, and coffee...don't get me started! Thank you for offering this giveaway!
What a wonderful giveaway! Yes, I have your button on my blog :)
Now, I'm off to read the actual post!
Great reminder. I have been studying those verses all summer. I agree with many of the other women ... it sets us free.
I think that not only does fear hold us back but also that spirit of feminism that tries to come into our marriage. I believe that it is in the submission unto the Lord in respect of our husbands that we are truly strong women.
I stumbled upon your blog, and boy, im so glad i did.
Cheers!
Kat
katch05(at)gmail(dot)com
Hi, I am happy to say that I have been married to a wonderful man for 22 years. We dated long distance for 3 years before we married. God is supreme and his wisdom is above all else! Thanks for a post full of wisdom. Cindi
jchoppes[at]hotmail[dot]com
Awesome prize package! Count me in! Thank you for helping us keep the focus on our marriage.
Love Casting Crowns...Sign me up! (Sue, use my "normal" e-mail please.)
When I finally submitted to my husband at God's constant nudging (although by the time I listened it was more like pushing : ) reagarding having children, I got my miracle baby.
I shouldn't have been able to get pregnant...I have some severe health issues (myasthenia gravis, diabetes, a trach), and when we tried IVF, I didn't even respond to the utility drugs. Plus, I had been on birth control for YEARS. My husbnd wanted to try for our own all along. I wanted to adopt. I FINALLY gave in to God, because I knew He wanted me to submit this area to my husband.
I told my husband I'd give it one year of trying to get pregannt, and then we were going to adopt. He agreed. The third month we "tried", I was pregnant.
Jacvob is the JOY and LIGHT of my life. He is truly my miracle!
I'd love to win this CD. Casting Crowns has some awesome songs out!
saltblog(at)aol(dot)com
Kerri,
Girl, you know I'm crazy about your story!! Thanks for sharing it!
Love ya
I thoroughly enjoy reading your blog and always get such encouragement from your posts.
Count me in for the giveaway!!!
Sue,
It is always refreshing to read all that the Lord has for you to share! It is truly the love of the Lord that you speak. Today's message has spoken to a lot of things in my life. I pray the Lord Will in my marriage as those of my siblings, too. I'm not the most perfect example of a submissive wife for example. But, I do know that the Lord still can use us where we are. PTL!
I count it a blessing to read His Truth along with you, sister! Thank you for sharing His Word!
Tamrah T.
jttso(at)cybertrails(dot)com
3 Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes.
4 Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight.
I love these verses. Thanks for sharing this! I wish the world would think like this, but yeah.... :(
Also, definitely sign me up for the giveaway -- I've also got the button linked on my blog as well.
Thank you for good reminders of being a Biblical wife. I notice my husband does see beauty in my attitude...it is important to him. Sometimes that is easy to forget.
artandjen(at)juno(dot)com
I was taught as a young woman that submission is really doing what is in the other's best interests... seeking their good above our own. If we are each doing that, then the pieces fit together perfectly!
Another excellent resource I have found that has grown my marriage in miraculous ways is a book called "Love & Respect." Phenomenal read... I highly recommend it. :)
Heather
I just have to say that it never ceases to touch my heart when I read your last line that you are praying for our marriages. I think that is the sweetest thing! Thank you!
I love Casting Crowns. I have such a hard time with submission to my husband! I think it has a lot to with the way women look down on the word submission. It is not a bad word, and life is a lot happier when I do it! Thanks so much for TSBO!
I know from personal experience that marriage can be both wonderful and incredibly hard. One of the most important things I can do as a wife is to actively pray for my husband, and myself in my role as a wife. In my case, being unequally yoked, my submissiveness speaks volumes. And in focused times of prayer God always reminds me to Be Thankful! I make a conscious effort to do the following things:
Thank God daily for such a wonderful husband, mentioning specific qualities for which I am grateful.
Look for daily ways to be a blessing to my husband (trying to understand what pleases him, anticipating his needs, etc.)
Keep my mouth shut and refrain from complaining.
Take responsibility for my health and my emotional well being: Stay rested, don't overcommit and then complain, remain in the influence of friends that model a shared appreciation for the man God has given to them.
Stay focused on making a home for my family and remember that this is my highest calling and responsibility, and that it has eternal value. The more I do this, the happier and more content I am.
And at the end of each day...relax.
Let it all go...don't let the sun go down on your anger. Tomorrow will come whether you worry or not.
KISS (keep it simple sisters). A mans needs are simple. They want to be fed, they want their kids mothered, and they want lovin'.
nickmal(at)wildblue(dot)net
Hi Sue, I 'm in again
Submission is a way of life in my household and we are very happy for it. If it is done in a respectful and honorable, there is nothing degrading about it at all. It is God's will.
Please enter me in the contest!
Hi there, please enter me in the giveaway. I have your button on my blog. Thanks for being so generous!
Thanks for another great post. For a long time my motto was: "When in doubt, keep your mouth shut!" It worked. And it still works.
I'd love to win your contest! And your button is on my blog!
1 Peter 3:1-6 is the verse I clung to and put into action when my husband was not a believer. Thankfully he came to Christ only a month or two following my own conversion :).
I love Casting Crowns, please enter me!
God's way is the best way, even when we don't understand why or how it works. =)
I love Casting Crowns! And coffee!
I have your name on my sidebar but not a button.
Have a wonderful day!
I enjoyed that, thanks for taking the time to post! And thanks for the giveaway, I would love to be entered for the CD!
Lindsey
ladyufshalott at yahoo.com
Hi, Sue, aren't we just so happy about how the election is going! Please enter me, and I have your link on my website.
Great post! I always find a wonderful reminder or tidbit in each and every two shall become one posts! Thank you for your dedication to a Christ centered marriage. I would love to win a little coffee for the month! :) Thanks for the chance!
p.s. I have your button on my blog...
Count me in! I have your P&C button on my sidebar and I always try to remember to advertise it on my blog.
I scrolled down and checked out the P&C Nite post. I like that idea! Too bad I live in Canada - a little too far to travel for an evening of coffe & goodies!
~ Leanne
Thank you for this blog. As an unequally yoked wife (and mom), this is an important reminder. Praise you for speaking truth, even when it's not "popular".
Blessing,
Michelle
Sue,
Thank you so much for your kind comment. I do LOVE my LORD!!!
How did you find my blog? Do we have a mutual friend?
So this is so interesting because I was just talking with some neighbors of mine about our ministry callings. They feel called to motocross ministry and I feel called to marriage/relationship ministry. I'm going to tell them about your blog.
And I'm going to keep reading. :-)
Love,
Erin
Aha! I just read Michelle's comment.
"If we are gorgeous but treat him with disrespect and disdain, we fulfill this verse:
Prov 11:22
22 Like a gold ring in a pig's snout
is a beautiful woman who shows no discretion.
NIV"
And how!
Please enter me in your monthly giveaway.
I've just put your button on my blog! Please enter me twice! I love your idea for a 'praise and coffee girlfriends' night out'!
~Susan
Thank you for this post. It actually meant a lot to me on this particular day.
doot65{at}comcast[dot]net
Elizabeth
found you through The Olson's. great blog!
A lesson I'm learning the hard way right now.. I read a book called the Surrendered Wife by Laura Doyle and I found it to be a great help and written with humor.
I would love to hear this cd.
Is it too late? Did you pick a winner yet? Count me in my friend...I LOVE LOVE LOVE Casting Crowns!
Thank you mucho!
Melissa
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