In my Saturday morning Bible Study we just completed the series "Speaking Love as Titus 2 Women" written by Teddi Neevel. This series--in a few ways or in many ways--changed the way all of us began relating to everyone around us. In a few months I intend to walk us through this study again to reinforce the truths it contains about relationships.

As I prayed about exactly how God wanted me to teach the last lesson in the series two words stuck in my heart: Submit and Prefer. As I wrote my teaching notes those two words consumed me and--after our salvation--I believe these words carried out in our lives lay the foundation for our abiding in Christ and experiencing joy in the Lord and His peace that passes all understanding.

I have counseled women for over two decades and I meet few that don't want me to re-define the word "submission". In these many years I have become so aware of the endless frustration--often turning to anger--of women trying to submit to their human husbands when they are not in submission to their Lord. I myself struggled with the concept of submitting to my husband; a human just as imperfect and at times obnoxious as I am. When I surrendered/submitted myself to God in 1984 my internal warfare of trying to submit to my husband was over on an overall basis. My consuming desire became to please the Lord and conform to His image so that I could be a vessel fit for His use. With this desire came the understanding of my position as my husband's help-meet and the realization that when I was in submissive fellowship with Christ...abiding in Him...I was in submissive fellowship with my husband abiding with him as one flesh. 
"Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?" Romans 6:16

The other concept that comes when we "present our bodies a living sacrifice" and die to self--selflessness--solves all our relationship problems.
Romans 12:10 "Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;" 
Philippians 2:3 "Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves." 
Preferring and esteeming one another better than ourselves allows us to serve our family, friends, strangers and even our enemies as an ambassador of Jesus Christ. We cannot obey God's Word and make a difference in the lives of people by having compassion on them (Jude 22) unless we let go of all "me-ism" and consider others more important than ourselves.

Submit to God and prefer one another...esteeming others better than ourselves. Two Biblical concepts that I believe would solve all of our relationship problems...especially our fellowship with God and our spouse...and our government. Jesus submitted himself to Pilot in silence--and to His Heavenly Father--and went to an excruciating death on the cross for one reason: For others...preferring the welfare of others over His own. 

Psalm 119:128 "Therefore I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right; and I hate every false way." 
1Peter 2:13 "Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake:" 
1Peter 5:5 "Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble." 
Hebrews 13:17 "Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you." 
Ephesians 5:22 "Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord." 
1Thessalonians 5:13 "And to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. And be at peace among yourselves." 

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