The Broken Traffic Signal

Taken from Biblical Womanhood in the Home

Read Chapter 8 (Liberated Through Submission) from Biblical Womanhood in the Home

Before you drive your car to a destination, you probably don’t pray, “Lord, whatever you do, please don’t let there be a broken traffic signal at a busy intersection on the way or I’ll never get to where I’m going!”

Why don’t we pray that prayer? Because we know that when we come to an intersection and the traffic signal is broken, there is an established procedure that allows traffic to proceed smoothly. The first thing we do is stop. We allow the cars on the right to proceed first. After
they go, the process is continued until the traffic signal is repaired. Now what if an order had not been established? There would be utter chaos in the intersection, and people would be arguing and bumping into each other, trying to prove they have the right of way.

Have you ever wondered why we need the principle of submission? Submission in earthly relationships provides a beautiful picture of the relationships within the Trinity and of God’s redemptive plan. But another practical explanation is that God knew He had created free-thinking individuals and that by nature every person does what is right in his own eyes. He also knew that if any two people spent any amount of time together, sooner or later their communication would collapse—the “signal” would be broken. If an order had not been established, there would be utter confusion in the relationship.

Unfortunately, there are many believers who do not understand the principle of submission, and their relationships are filled with anger and chaos. However, as we all know, ignorance of the law does not excuse us from the penalty of the law. Whether married or single, male or female, we are required to submit to God (James 4:7), to the spiritual leadership of the church (Heb. 13:17), to employers (1 Pet. 2:18), and to the government (1 Pet. 2:13-14). The practice of submission in single life will directly affect the success of submission in married life.

In the marriage relationship the wife is not the only one who is called to submit. The husband is to yield to God by loving his wife “as Christ loved the church” (Eph 5:25), by being the final decisionmaker (Eph. 5:22), by being the spiritual head (Eph. 5:26), and by living with her “in an understanding way” (1 Pet. 3:7, NASB). The wife is called to submit to her husband’s final decisions (Eph. 5:22).