One reason submission is so hard

Wives, in the same way submit yourselves to your own 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, when they see the purity and reverence of your lives. Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, 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. For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to adorn themselves. They submitted themselves to their own husbands, like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her lord. You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear.

1 Peter 3:1-6 (NIV)

This passage can be very uncomfortable for modern women.  We don’t like being told to submit.  We rebel against the spirit of control that we perceive in the words.

Challenging Your Spouse to a Hamburger

One of the first things I said to Mark was a put-down.  He was bragging about his well-paid job in the north of England (which wasn’t that well-paid – I think he was trying to impress me!) I worked out his hourly rate in my head and exclaimed: “I earn more than that in my part-time job in London!” I was just 17, outspoken and bold, and he liked my sassiness. 

What does respect mean anyway?

“You are a terrible mother, and a terrible wife.  Totally disrespectful.”

Those might not have been the exact words, but that’s how I heard them.  They then went on to list all the reasons why.

Mark sat there with me and said nothing.

The arrows sunk in deeper.