Solutions to Common Complaints -Complaint #4

Complaint #4: "My wife is not submissive."

Bible Principle: "The head of every man is Christ." - 1 CORINTHIANS 11:3.

A husband who feels that his wife is not submissive should first examine whether he is willing to show submission to his Head, Jesus Christ.  A husband can show his submission by following Jesus' example.

"Husbands," wrote the apostle Paul, "continue loving your wives, just as the Christ also loved the congregation and delivered up himself for it."  (Ephesians 5:25)  Jesus did not "lord it over" his disciples.  (unlike some humans)  (Mark 10:42-44)  He gave his followers clear direction and corrected them when necessary.  But he was never harsh.  He was kind to them and made allowances for their limitations.  (Matthew 11:29, 30; Mark 6:30, 31; 14:37, 38)  He always put their interests ahead of his own. -Matthew 20:25-28.

A husband needs to ask himself this question,' Is my view of headship and of women in general influenced more by local custom than by the counsel and examples found in the Bible?'  For instance, what would you think of a woman who disagreed with  her husband's viewpoint and firmly but respectfully expressed her dissenting view?  In the Bible, Abraham's wife Sarah, is held up and an example of a submissive wife.  (She knew when to keep quiet unlike some women these days)   (1 Peter 3:1, 6)  However, she spoke her mind when necessary, such as when Abraham failed to see certain dangers that threatened the family. -Genesis 16:5; 21:9-12.

Obviously, Abraham did not terrorize Sarah into silence.  He was not a tyrant.  Likewise, a husband who follows Bible counsel will not browbeat his wife, demanding that she will be subject to his every whim.  He will earn his wife's respect by exercising his headship in a compassionate manner.

How some have applied this advice: James, who lives in England and has been married for eight years, says: "I am learning not to make important decisions without consulting my wife.  I try not to think only of myself.  Instead, I aim to put her needs ahead of my own."

George lives in the United States and has been married for 59 years. He says:  "I have tried to treat my wife, not as a second-class citizen, but as an intelligent and capable partner." -Proverbs 31:10. 

Next time: Solutions to Common Complaints- Complaint #5

The Watchtower, 2011



(Note: Part or most of the problem with the world is the feminine rights thing. This is not something that God thought up or invented, it is something that Satan came up with, put the idea in some woman's head and it sprouted. Since God says in the Bible that women should be submissive to their own husbands,  he would not have the women's rights thing or whatever you want to call it. That would be defeating his purpose.  Satan did it to get people-and what better gender than women to put the idea in to someone's heads, to keep people from worshiping God. Satan does things for his benefit that no one really thinks about or understands.  Of course the women's and the feminist organization  of the 1900's and up would not agree with this, because they feel they can do what they want when they want it and no one is gong tell them otherwise.  The only women who would agree with the Bible are true Christian women.)