Submission or Suppression?

  “But there is one thing I want you to know: The head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.” 1 Corinthians 11:3

Or:  The source of every man is Christ, the source of woman is man, the source of Christ is God.

Or Greek: Every man is responsible to Christ, a woman is responsible to her husband, and Christ is responsible to God.

  This is from the last teaching in the series, Her Story. It always amazes me how one word can alter the entire meaning of a sentence. The word, head, was translated from the Hebrew, kephale. It can be translated to mean either authority or source. (www.themeetinghouse.com)

  I understand why the blessed and dedicated people who translated the Scriptures into English would have used the word “head”. I also understand why there have been many misunderstandings take place because of our English interpretation of headship. For example: the industrial revolution and the idea of being head of a company created the unquestionable authority to hire, fire, and make demands with no accountability but the success of the business. It turned people into numbers.

   I think the idea of mutual responsibility to each other and Christ cannot happen within a hierarchy…

  Ok. That’s got me thinking…

  If Christ is the authority of my life, it means I must submit to that authority. Yet willing submission, surrender, is living in agreement to the standards of Christ’s teaching (or at least trying to). If a man believes the source of all he is comes from Christ, he is called to live according to the teachings of the Savior. Women can do the same because our source is Christ and therefore God, inherited through man at our creation. Or maybe a better idea is to live according to the heart of our Savior.

  Now, it sounds easy, but I need to be careful that religious rule keeping doesn’t take over. I suppose that’s another reflection of industrialized nations. Policies and procedures, the grease that keeps the industrial machine running smoothly needs to be set aside when it comes to personal living. They are necessary when it comes to the business end of running a church.

  I am not discounting or disqualifying the importance of ritual as a way to connect with Jesus. This is a very important part of my own faith. It’s when ritual becomes ritual for the sake of itself that something is missing. I am also not going to negate the importance of sitting at the feet of Jesus for our spiritual growth. It is important to learn and keep on learning!

  (Smile.) It would appear I am back at love again and I can’t resist doing this…

  The love of every man is Christ, the love of woman is man, and the love of Christ is God. God is love.

  Responsibility without love becomes duty. Duty without love becomes obligation. Obligation without love becomes servitude. Servitude without love becomes slavery. Slavery cannot exist without oppression. There is no love in oppression.

  Lord, I know there are places that oppression still exists in my heart, in the church and in society. Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. AMEN!