Obey and Submit

Heb 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.


Obey and submit.


Who do you obey? Who do you submit to?


Those who know me in my offline life, who have lived with me and around me for many years would tell you that I'm a very submissive person as a rule, whereas my sisters (all 3 of them) are more dominant. The reason I'm mentioning this is because even though I'm viewed as being on the submissive side I STILL get that slight feeling of rebellion when I read words like submit to others, obey others- them that have rule over you. I've grown up in a society that tells me that NO ONE rules over me. I've been blessed by growing up in a democracy and not a dictatorship. I've grown up with NO ruler, ruling over me. I've grown up with the idea of being independent- dependent upon no one as the standard. I wasn't taught that I would have to be submissive to my husband, and not many women have been taught that for many years and we call that progress, we call that freedom, we call that having rights. We call it a good thing and in many respects it is a good thing- at least good because the abusive aspect of that way of life is no longer considered acceptable. Abuse in any situation is a bad thing- a wrong thing.


When we are instructed to obey them that have rule over us, when we are told to submit ourselves to those who are watching for our souls, when we are told as women to obey our husbands, as children to obey our parents, as men to obey God- we are NOT being told to obey dictators, we are NOT being told to obey abusive tyrants. IF those who we are to obey ARE abusive tyrants and we submit to them we can rest assured that they will be held accountable for their abuse towards us. But when we are instructed to obey it's not something we should automatically equate with an oppressive situation because we've been taught by society that rulership is a bad thing. As children we feel the oppressive side of having to obey our parents when our willful selves would rather do as we please than listen to an authority figure. We can't wait for that day we believe we are old enough and no longer have to obey but can do as we please. Again, as children we are often taught that obeying is an oppressive thing, something to be shunned, something to be rid of upon adulthood.


Of course we are taught that to live in a free society there are rules that must be followed if we don't want our freedom taken away- but as it's a small price to pay to be able to live as we please. Of course many don't see it that way and they do break the rules and they do have to pay for breaking them.


Heb 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.


We are to obey them that have rule over us.
We are to submit to those who are watching for our souls.
Those who take on this position of leadership have a grave responsibility - they are accountable to perform that leadership role as God would have them do so and not in their own way.
They are accountable for ruling over us with JOY- NOT with grief.


We all know there are various kinds of leaders, let's just group them into two categories for now- good and bad.


The good have what sort of traits? Easy going, fair, pleasant.
The bad have what sort of traits? Tyrannical, unfair, mean.


Those are just a few examples of each of course but enough for us to know that those who are considered good leaders, good rulers, good bosses, good husbands, good parents are those who do their job of ruling with JOY. You won't find true joy in rulership coming from a bad ruler. Yes, a sadistic ruler can find sadistic joy in being a bad ruler, but a just, fair, kind, Godly ruler cannot be sadistic and will not find joy in evil things.


Joy- From G5463; cheerfulness, that is, calm delight: - gladness, X greatly, (X be exceeding) joy (-ful, -fully, -fulness, -ous).


When we are ruled by spiritual leaders, secular leaders, bosses, husbands, parents, etc; they that rule without joy bring us grief, their joylessness is revealed in their rulership and it reflects on to those they have rule over. Being ruled by such rulers is unprofitable for us- we can't profit by those who rule us wrongly, joylessly.


Maybe we aren't in a position of having a spiritual leader, someone we trust is sent from God to guide us into His truth. But we do have leaders, rulers, bosses, husbands, parents and we do need to submit to them and obey them as God would have us do so.


We can't forget this--


1Pe 2:18 Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward.
1Pe 2:19 For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.
1Pe 2:20 For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.


Or this--


Luk 6:27 But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you,
Luk 6:28 Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.
Luk 6:29 And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloke forbid not to take thy coat also.


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Heb 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.


Serve God, serve our fellow man. Submit, obey.


By the grace of our Lord and Savior may we find joy in being submissive to God and to our fellow man, putting their needs, their desires above our own. May their joy truly be our joy.


May God's will be done now and always, in all things!


Amen.