But What About Me?

Marriage. It's important to the Christian message. Even central when one considers that we are the Bride of Christ and that marriage is a picture of His relationship with the Church.

However, based on some "real life" conversations I've heard, some of you are (maybe) thinking: "Why is it always about him? What about how I am supposed to be treated? And why do I have to be such a great wife when he isn't always a great husband?"

First of all, it is not my responsibility to tell your husband how to treat you. That privilege belongs to God and to the elders of the church.

Secondly, realize that your husband does have orders from God about how to treat you. He was pretty clear in the Scripture. You think submission is hard, try sacrificing your life.

Let's look at the example of Jesus. God, as the head authority of the Trinity, made the decision to create man in His own image. All three persons of the Trinity were present and active in Creation. They worked as One because they are One. Yet, do you see Jesus' name specifically mentioned in Genesis 1? No. Do you see Him complaining that the Father got all the credit? A reading of Jesus' words in the New Testament shows that just the opposite is true.

Jesus is equal with God, and He is God. Yet, He chose to lay down His own life to work out God's redemption plan. His ministry was like that of a wife and mother in many ways. His days were full of meeting physical needs, discipling and teaching his band of twelve men who rarely "got it" and receiving criticism all along the way.

If the King of Kings and Lord of Lords can submit to His Father's authority with joy and from a heart of love, then why is it so hard for us?

O.K., I know your husband, as wonderful as he is, is not anywhere close to Jesus. One could argue that it is easy to submit to such a perfectly benevolent and righteous authority as God the Father.

However, I don't see where Jesus had it easy. He exchanged the glories of Heaven for a manger, a carpenter's shop, an itinerant ministry and a cross.He poured Himself into a people that, for the most part, would hate and reject Him. His submission to the Father, loving though He is, cost Him 33 years of pain and suffering and a death worse than any of us will experience.

So, the next time you're tempted to ask, "What about me?", remember this: The reason it's not really about you is that it's not really about him. You know, the him you married.

No, your service, your submission, your sacrifice---it's all about Him! For He tells us in Matthew's gospel, "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."


Jennifer Self is a disciple of Jesus Christ who loves following His plan for her life as a wife to the most wonderful man in the world and mama to four little blessings. Her days are filled with spending time with her man, homeschooling, preparing reasonably healthy meals and keeping the dust bunnies and the clutter monster at bay with a little blogging mixed in. After her family has been taken care of, she dabbles in her other passions of reading, health and music. She blogs about her life, her Heavenly Father, marriage, parenting and home at www.joyeverafter.blogspot.com and real food for real families from the perspective of real faith at www.growingreal.net.