Ridiculous Respect

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, when they see your respectful and pure conduct.
1 Peter 3:1-2

Jesus closed his eyes, took a few deep breaths, and prepared himself for the biggest sale of his life.  In just a few moments, he would have an audience with the head-honcho himself, Pontius Pilate (P.P. as they called him in the biz.).  “Should I call him P.P.?” Jesus wondered for a second. “No, that won’t do.  There’s nothing casual about being the Son of God.  Why, I have really got to dazzle this man, to bring out the big guns, so old Pontius knows for sure I am who I say I am.  OOOO-WEE, this is gonna be good!” Then with butterflies in his stomach and a skip in his step, Jesus took audience with the Roman Governor.

Okay, if you are still reading, that last paragraph wasn’t biblical.  It’s not true.  It never happened.  But why?  Why didn’t Jesus show Pilate that He was God’s son, and take this moment to prove it?  To call down “fire from heaven” as his disciples had suggested Jesus do earlier in his ministry?  Of course, all you wonderful Christian women are sighing and saying (while putting on make-up, dressing your kids, and making a torte), “Because the cross was the plan.  We won’t be in the story if it wasn’t for God’s bigger story.” 

Good answer! Sure, in the moment, it looks foolish for Jesus to not defend himself.  To not prove who he was. But there was a bigger plan.  Pilate and Jesus’ trial was just the tip of the iceberg.  There was something happening that had been in the works before the foundation of the world.  And you’re right, it’s our redemption through the cross.

Remember, "When they hurled their insults at [Jesus], he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly" 
(1 Peter 2:23).

Jesus trusted God; it was the most important relationship he had. So he didn’t need to close the deal with Pilate.  There was someone more powerful that loved him. Jesus didn’t have to “kiss up” to Pilate—there was no brown nosing on Jesus' resume.  He didn’t have to “tear Pilate a new one” for not knowing who he was.  In fact, he acknowledges that Pilate would “have no authority over [him] unless it were given from above" (John 19:11). Jesus showed Pilate the respect his authority deserved.  Pilate's God-given authority. It seems ridiculous, but it's true.

Now dear wives, we can begin with our walk through Peter.  Last week, we talked about the way to win.  One of the ways to win your husband is through respect.  When you have a respect for Christ who died for you, you can accept the truth that the only authority your husband has is given to him from God.  And God’s authority is greater than your husband’s.  Therefore, when you respect God, that respect carries over to your husband.  Pilate didn’t earn Jesus’ respect.  Jesus had such a respect for God that his trust in God’s sovereignty led him to show Pilot respect.  It is the same for us with our husbands.  We can give respect to our husbands from the outflow of our respect for Christ. 

I have read that the opposite of respect is frivolity or trifling.  If Jesus were trifling, he would be a lot like the Jesus I wrote about earlier.  He might have an acknowledgement of God, but there would be a lack of reverence for God.  We can be this way.  We can say something to ourselves like, “Yes, yes, Jesus died for my sins, but he wouldn’t want me to respect such an idiot as my husband.”  Or maybe we trifle in this way, “Okay, I have spent a ton of money on shopping again, but I work too, and after all, I bought my husband the latest techno-gadget-whirlymabob.  He is going to be dazzled.  It’s not too important, that my husband asked me to not over-spend.”

But Jesus didn’t trifle with God’s things.  When we don’t respect God, we can be frivolous with his things.  One of God’s things is our husband.  Don’t let Jesus be your savior but not your lord.  Don’t say to your husband, “I am with you ‘till death babe, but I’m not listening to you in this lifetime.”

Sharing with: Missional Women, Your Thriving Family, Consider the Lilies, Christian Mommy Blogger, NOBH,