[joathome]

For starters, I think that many Christians have begun to confuse the biblical idea of "gifts" with the idea of "talents". Women may be equally talented in areas with men, and leadership may be one of her talents; however, that does not mean that God has "gifted" a particular woman in order to become a leade in her church.

I also agree that it would be foolhardy for my husband to make decisions on subject matters where I have more information! I absolutely have my own sphere of responsibilities for precisely that reason. However, I am always cognizant of the fact that my husband is my leader, and head, of our family. The fact remains that God requires me to submit gracefully should the occasion ever arise over something we cannot agree or compromise over. For instance--a job transfer. The final decision would always rest in my husband, and I find rest in the knowledge that my husband is, indeed, a servant leader who truly seeks to put our needs ahead of his. That doesn't preclude the fact that we may come to two different conclusions about what is best for our family, though. :)

[ArGee]

The fact remains that God requires me to submit gracefully should the occasion ever arise over something we cannot agree or compromise over.

Ahhh! You've been listening to the men, who always start their exegesis with Ephesians 5:22. Read 5:21 and remember that the paragraph and verse markers came later and are not part of Scripture.

With regards to submission, that doesn't mean putting your will aside and doing his will. It means making your will conform to his so that his will and your will are the same. This is a much harder task. Remembering that the husband and wife are a type of our relationship to Christ, it makes the Christian walk much more rewarding. If you say to yourself, "Well, I want to have premarital sex but I won't because Jesus doesn't want me to," resentment will build and you will likely rebel and do the thing you "don't want to do." But when you reach the point where you don't want to have premarital sex like Jesus doesn't want you to, because you believe it is wrong just as He believes it is wrong, you wont resent what He isn't allowing you to do and you won't rebel.

In the same way, your husband might finally decide to move and you "submit" by saying, "I really don't want to move, but because you say so I will move." That can create a rift that only a miracle can heal. But if the two of you become of one mind there is no rift and no need to heal.

In our home, if there is no unity, there is no decision. There is no final authority but Jesus. When my wife and I disagree, I wait until He has had his chance to straighten one of us out.

It's usually me, but that's another story.

Shalom.