“Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.” — Ephesians 5:21
Submission isn’t a word we tend to celebrate. It doesn’t sell books or make headlines. In our world, we’re told to stand our ground, fight for our rights, look out for number one. But Paul points us in a different direction: submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
This kind of submission isn’t about weakness—it’s about strength that chooses gentleness. It’s not losing your voice—it’s learning to listen. It’s the posture of a servant in a world obsessed with thrones.
Jesus lived it perfectly. Though He had all authority, He chose a manger. Though He had the power to command angels, He chose a cross. He submitted—not because He was less—but because He loved more.
To submit to one another means we give up being the center. We consider others first. In a disagreement, we seek peace instead of victory. In a relationship, we yield the right to always be right.
This isn’t about letting others walk all over us. It’s about walking like Jesus did—steadily, humbly, with a heart that values others above self.
Imagine a church, a marriage, a friendship where this verse was lived out. Imagine what might heal. What might grow.
Maybe today’s step is simple: letting someone else speak first, choosing quiet over control, offering grace instead of argument.
Not because they deserve it. But because Christ does.
I’m Lonnie Davis, and these are thoughts worth thinking.