30TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

Be subordinate to one another. 

This is one of those passages that many of us would rather skip over. Paul’s words to the believers in Ephesus, “Wives should be subordinate to their husbands” (5:22), can sound outdated and even offensive. We might acknowledge that Paul was speaking according to the culture of his times, but that might lead us to conclude, incorrectly, that this passage has nothing to say to us today.

If you want to understand Paul’s advice, then start with verse 21. There, Paul makes no distinction between men and women or husbands and wives. He tells everyone to “be subordinate” to each other (Ephesians 5:21). Or as Paul said in another letter, everyone should “humbly regard others as more important” than themselves (Philippians 2:3).

This is God’s message to us as well. He wants all of us to take on an attitude of humility and deep reverence toward one another. He wants us to put other people’s needs and concerns ahead of our own and to “lay down” our lives for each other (John 15:13). If we can do that, then all our relationships—especially with our spouses—will be marked by unity, peace, and love.

What might this look like in real life? In marriage, first and foremost, it doesn’t involve letting your spouse take advantage of you or make unreasonable demands—or doing those things yourself. But in any relationship, it could mean listening attentively while the other person lets off steam about challenges at work. It could mean no longer insisting on getting your own way. It could mean working on coming together in unity when your paths seem to begin diverging. And it could mean trying to forgive long-standing hurts and overcome deep-seated resentments.

In other words, the call to be subordinate to one another is just part of Jesus’ call to love one another as Jesus loves us. Actually, it all boils down to love: letting Jesus’ all-encompassing, unconditional love overcome our selfishness so that we can show that same love to the people around us. Especially those closest to us.

So how will you “be subordinate” today?

“Come, Lord, and make us one in your love!”

Ephesians 5:21-33
Psalm 128:1-5
Luke 13:18-21