“Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.” (Ephesians 5:21 NIV)

My outside door has a dog door in it. This is a small door with swinging flaps, that allows my dogs to go in and out at will, without me having to open the main door for them to access the outside or to come back in.

The dog door works very well, but it is only meant for the use of one dog at a time. The other day, however we had a dog door dilemma. Two of the dogs decided to try to get through the door at the same time. Both dogs were large. They each managed to get their head, one shoulder and one front leg through the door before they came to an impasse. Standing watching this comic sideshow, I wondered what would happen next as they both struggled, to no avail, to inch ahead. Finally, one of the dogs graciously backed out and the other dog came through. The second canine followed behind, showing no ill will toward the first dog at having to back out and wait.

This rather hilarious scenario reminded me of today’s verse. Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. Throughout our daily lives we often run into dog doors. Opportunities to exercise submitting to one another.

Getting our own way is something that we all enjoy. It is simply part of being human. When we know Jesus Christ, as Lord and Saviour however, He calls us to put others ahead of ourselves. He calls us to submit to one another.

What does it mean biblical though, to submit? According to www.bibletools.org submission is an act of faith. It has nothing at all to do with the quality of character of the person to whom we are submitting.

Thus, when we view submitting to one another in this light, we do not see, that allowing another person to have their way ahead of ours as something to feel annoyed, angry about or as being walked upon, but something which is holy, an act of service out of reverence for Christ, that we may live at peace with one another as much as possible.

Today we may have choices to make. To have our own way about certain things, or to allow someone else to have theirs. What will we choose? An act of faith which will allow us to back up and make way for another, or to create an impasse which may result in hard feelings, broken relationships, and possibly even harm to ourselves or another.

The choice is ours.

Prayer: Father God, help each us to learn to choose acts of faith in regards to learning to submit to one another that we may reverence Christ by putting others ahead of ourselves. In Christ’s name we pray. Amen.

Lynne Phipps
Tawatinaw, Alberta, Canada