"Submitting yourselves to one another in the fear of God" ~ Ephesians 5:21No doubt someone is wondering how this verse became a faith building "blue stone" verse to me [Eugenia Price, the author]. Someone may be thinking, "I've tried submitting myself to someone and I'd put this one in the collection of 'purple stones' on the subject of human suffering!" I quite agree that genuine suffering can be involved in "submitting yourselves one to another." I've tried it too.
And yet, here is the Word of God telling us to do it. And to do it "in the fear of God." Could we be misreading that word "fear"? Could that have something to do with our human desire to skip this "blue stone"? Perhaps. But I believe "fear" here means respect or reverance for the fact that what God says really works. And He says over and over and over again that we are to "turn the other cheek," "submit yourselves one to another," "go the second mile."
Once more we must remind ourselves that Jesus warned us carefully, that without Him we can do nothing He asks us to do! We need His power, available to us through the Holy Spirit, even to receive Him as Saviour in the first place. So of course, we cannot "submit ourselves" so someone who makes us see red, unless He empowers us to do it. But He does. And I can also promise you from my own experience, that if you will this day "put yourself at the feet" of that person who is so difficult for you even to think about, you will find, as you actually feel your faith grow, that here is a true "blue stone" verse. Bow your stiff neck to her or him and then thank God in your heart for the closer look you've just been given into His heart.
"... Even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life ..."
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