Submission 101

As you head off to college, there are many plans and ideas racing around in your head, but one of them is probably not submission. As with the word obey, we tend to not like words from the Bible that require us to loose control. We like to be in control. You are heading off to college to "take control" of your life. Who wants to put him or herself under someone else? In reality, all of us already have those we answer to, including a parent, teacher, coach, employer and the government. Ultimately, we are in submission to God.

The apostle Peter wrote to a group of Christians who were suffering great injustice. They were facing persecution for their faith by the government, by their neighbors, at work and in everyday life. When you're on the receiving end of injustice, everything in you wants to retaliate, rebel, fight, yell, hit and make things right. In spite of this difficulty, Peter wrote radical words to this group of believers in Jesus, "Submit yourselves" (1 Pet. 2:13). Can you imagine? These are the last words this group wanted to read in a letter to them, yet that is exactly what Peter asked them to do.

There will be many opportunities for you to submit in college with your professors, pastors and parents; but submitting is unnatural. It is natural for us to rebel because of our sinful nature. We all want to be in control. Submitting takes practice and self-denial. It is also unforced. The verb submit literally means "to place yourself under." It's sitting down on the inside, as well as the outside. Biblical submission is placing one's self under someone else's authority by choice and with a joyful spirit. Peter wanted this submission to come from the heart (not just because we are suppose to) do so! If you submit to someone because you have no choice, what credit is that to you? Instead make sure that submission is your choice. When it's your choice, it gives you your freedom back. So submission comes from a willing spirit. Author Richard Foster said, "Peter made decision makers out of those who were forbidden to make decisions."

Take this opportunity in college to submit willfully and joyfully to those around you and as Peter told us, when we submit to those in authority over us, we are doing it "for the Lord's sake" (1 Pet. 2:13).