A Lesson for Men

The verse from Colossians 3:21 - "Wives, be subordinate to your husbands, as is proper in the Lord,"  is one that I like.  Don't think me a chauvinist; but, hear me out. I have a reason this is a favorite verse. 

Every time this verse is read in mass, I hear these or similar comments.         

•   "I bet your wife doesn't want you to include that in the readings."   
•  "Why did you read that part, isn’t that the optional bracketed text." 
•  "Surely, you don't think in today's world, women are inferior to men." 
•  "I would never get my wife to consider herself subject to me."

The reason this verse is a favorite is because the verse is not about any of these ideas. 

This passage does contain directions for a Christian Family.  But it is not instructions for wives; it is an instruction to men.  Throughout the bible, it is stated that the husband must be the spiritual head and model of worship for the family; but, Christ brought a new model.

To understand this verse, look at the beginning of the passage.  "And over all these put on love, that is, the bond of perfection." (Col 3:14)  This is the model the husband should follow. This Christian husband is one that a Christian wife should have.  The wife would love the husband and respect him in the love that Christ teaches.

The husband must not be the dominant oppressive patriarch with a stern unyielding rule. A loving family is absent the selfish power and compulsion that will cripple and distort love. The family is to "Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience." (Col 3:12)  To love is not easy, that maybe is why we fail as Christians and why many families fail.  The family is where we learn to love.  Love is this where the family grows. 

Maybe when we discuss this verse, we should look at Jesus command - love others as you love yourself.  One ancient philosopher put it even more simply.  Let us not impose on others we would not impose on ourselves. So following Christ's directions it would also be husbands subordinate to your wives, as is proper in the Lord. 

The reason this is one my favorite verses is it teaches me to be a better man.

God Have Mercy (Mt 9:27-31)

When I was a boy, we played a game called "Mercy."   Two players would interlock their fingers.  Each would try to get the advantage through strength or leverage.  They would then bend the other player's fingers backward, making them ask for "mercy."  The winner would then have mercy and release the other player.

An act of mercy is one that removes hurt and suffering.  The winner in a game of mercy could do this.  The players were connected.  Each shared the struggle of the game. The winner knew the hurt of the loser, because many times before, this winner may have have had asked for mercy.

The truths we can learn in a child's game are surprising.  As in the game, a true act of mercy shares in the suffering of the other person. This is something we do not want to do in real life.  How many of us really can say we practice mercy by sharing in the suffering?

The Father sent the Son to know mercy.  Jesus was a man; yet, also divine.  In Jesus, God experienced the human condition from birth to death.  God shared in our suffering, our hurt, our misfortune, our angst, and our condition.

When we see the need and only feel bad, we do not show mercy.  Each of us, can easily see the affliction of others and feel compassion but it is hard to bring ourselves to share the suffering.  God did.  God became man. So that God could have mercy.

I Got My New Glasses Today

I got my new glasses today.

Over time my eyes have gotten worse, nothing I did; just age (too old), circumstance (an old sports injury to my eye), and environment (sunshine and glare). With my new glasses, I can see what I did not know I couldn't see.  My eyes were opened.

My glasses broke and I had to send them in for repair.  So only having an old prescription pair, I took some vacation.  During this time, I worked with some folks who had nothing, not even heat, and it has been cold. Some were elderly.  Some were sick.  Some had nothing.

A human faults sometimes let us place ourselves above folks worse off.  We just can not see as well as we need to see.  The world has affected us in our age, our circumstance, and our environment.

The predicament of the poor many times is nothing they control; just age, circumstance, and environment.

I see people talk in loving words about their children and the great things they have accomplished.  I see how alone they are.  I wonder how did they get in these predicaments of poverty.

I put on the glasses of love and my eyes are opened by the one who loves us all.

I got my new glasses today.