1 Peter 3:1–6 (ESV) — 1 Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so
that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the
conduct of their wives, 2 when they see your respectful and pure conduct. 3 Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the
putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— 4 but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the
imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very
precious. 5 For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used
to adorn themselves, by submitting to their own husbands, 6 as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. And you are her children,
if you do good and do not fear anything that is frightening.
NOTE: Peter now
switches from our impact on society and employers to our impact within the
family. He starts with specific advice for women--which might not be considered
acceptable in today's society, but that is primarily because the devil has so
distorted the roles of women, and the meaning of words (such as roles and
submission) as to be completely foreign to the intent of the passage. There are
many roles we take on in life. A role does not define our value or intrinsic
net worth. Roles do define salaries. CEOs get paid much more than
administrative assistants, but does not determine intrinsic worth as an
individual, except maybe in the eyes of the CEO. Submission is required in
every organization. In my military days, I had to submit to authorities above
me in rank and position, but that did not mean that I could not express my
opinion or disagree verbally. But when the General said, "enough, I've
made my decision" then I was required to obey without murmuring or a bad
attitude. That does not change my value as a person. Every type of venture
requires a single leader. Partnerships where the authority is equally divided
usually does not work. A good leader seldom insists on his own way unless it is
extremely important issue to the life of the organization. A good leader is a
servant to others. He gently guides. The fact that men have exhibited poor
leadership over the years does not invalidate Paul's charge to women.
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