Be careful to obey all these regulations I am giving you, so that it may always go well with you and your children after you, because you will be doing what is good and right in the eyes of the Lord your God.
Deuteronomy 12:28 NIV
This skill has been a difficult one for me. I bristle against anyone who asserts authority over me. My homeowners’ association tells me I can’t raise chickens in my backyard and my hackles raise up. The government steals my money through a myriad of taxes and fees and then dares to present itself as philanthropic. My wife gives me a list of things to do and expects that I am grateful for the opportunity to serve.
Grrr. Submission is a difficult skill. I remind myself that I chose to buy a house with an HOA. I tell myself that Jesus specifically addressed the paying of taxes in Matthew 22:15-22 NIV. “So give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” I know that I am supposed to love my wife as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her. Ephesians 5:25 raised this goalpost for husbands. This is the most challenging thing a man does in life, to sacrifice himself for another is not convenient, comfortable, or easy. But it is good. If biblical admonition doesn’t motivate me today, my HOA will fine me $10 per day that I violate their edicts. The IRS or other government entities will not be denied. They will fine me, garnish my paycheck, take my property, ruin my life, and eventually put me in jail for not paying my taxes. And my wife? She can turn the screws, too. There is a reason for the saying, “Happy wife. Happy life.” It’s probably not a wise idea to dwell too long on this point. She might read this book.
Kids need to understand the principle of submission. When do we need to submit and when do we challenge authority? God made and sustains the world. On this basis, He has the only valid and irrevocable claim of authority over his creation. So first and foremost, we must obey God. I choose to submit to God’s will on these matters. As the children of Israel did in Joshua 24:15, I choose to lead my family in obedience to God, the legitimate, universal authority. The Bible has a great deal to say about which rules I should follow. It has the answers on how I should live.
I choose to submit to God’s authority, so life may go well with me and my children. As I do what is right and good in the eyes of the Lord, my life will become more healthy and fruitful. That doesn’t mean it is easy for me to submit to the many authorities put over me in this world. The shackles still rub me wrong. I may feel free to pursue my freedom and general welfare, as long as it does not violate God’s laws. This reassures me, I am not a slave to the demands of others. I can stand up for what is right and true. Fathers should teach their kids to do the same.
