"Submission: Being a Treasure" by Jennifer Zabel (Global Management Team Leader)

 

“The man who finds a wife finds a treasure, and he receives favor from the Lord.”

Proverbs 18:22

Treasure~Such a sweet word. Isn’t that what all women want? To be cherished and treasured? To be considered someone’s “treasure”.  I know that I desire to be so pleasing to my husband that he considers me one of his greatest treasures in this life.  One of the surest ways to be held so dearly, Is to live out our roles as wives in an attitude of submission, whether in finances, sex, or just daily life decisions.  It is an inborn trait of most men to lead their families. God has hardwired them that way.  Although there are many women capable of great leadership, in a marriage, the man leading is simply best.  When we as women don’t challenge our husband’s decisions, or argue every point we have, we are really saying “I trust not only my husband, but more importantly, my God.” God already knows what decisions you and your husband are going to face, what is going to be decided, and the consequences of that decision. Why would we want to interfere with the way in which it is all supposed to play out? So we can drive our point home a little more? So we can make our husbands feel as though we don’t trust them or think they are incapable?  I am not suggesting that you merely live as though you have no opinion or say in big decisions (or small for that matter). I am, however, suggesting that you act in such a way that makes your husband feel as though he has the last word and final verdict.  If there is a lot of tension in your marital relationship and a constant butting of heads, mentally evaluate your level of submission to your husband’s leadership. Proverbs 14:1 says “a wise woman builds her home, but a foolish woman tears it down with her hands.” I don’t know about you, but I want to build my home. Not personally contribute to its demise.  Ladies, it has to begin somewhere. Regardless of how your husband is or whether he deserves it or not, I challenge you to live out the attitude of submission God calls you to, and watch your marriage change. Build your home. Don’t tear it down with your own two hands. Good marriages can become great! Struggling marriages can become happy marriages, all because of how you live out your “role” as wife.  My husband has said to me before that it is so much easier for him to love me in the way that I need to be loved because I give him the respect he deserves and let him have authority over our family.  He says our marriage is great because of me. Incidentally, it is NOT all me, but I am sure glad he thinks so! I have heard it said that if you can follow God’s advice and let scripture guide you as a wife, everything else in your relationship tends to fall into place. That really is a lot of power.  To be “second” in the hierarchy of God’s most beloved human relationship, we really have just as much power as the first position.  Our husbands are just the ones responsible and accountable. With that responsibility and accountability comes a whole lot of weight. I think I like my position! How about you?

Finally, to conclude this series on submission, we do all this so that most importantly, God would be glorified in our marriages, so that our children have an example of the type of marriage to strive for, so that our generations to come would be positively impacted with righteousness, and so that we may live to be a blessing to others, especially our husbands.  “Let your wife be a fountain of blessing for you. Rejoice in the wife of your youth.” Proverbs 5:18. I pray that you are a treasure and a blessing to your husband.

Jennifer Zabel

Jennifer Zabel is part of the Awesome Marriage Global Management team.  She resides in Edmond, Oklahoma with her beloved husband, Mason, their three daughters Ella, Claire, and Hays, and their lab Goodie.  Besides her most coveted title of wife and mother, Jennifer has previously held the titles of Registered Nurse, Miss Oklahoma 2005, and Lash Stylist for her company The Lash Lounge, LLC. Jennifer and her family attend Life Church.